Ozzy Osbourne was secretly hospitalised just two weeks before his final farewell concert, his family has revealed on The Osbournes Podcast.
As per Rolling Stone, the metal legend’s wife Sharon and children Jack and Kelly disclosed previously unknown details about Osbourne’s medical struggles in the months leading up to his death on July 22nd.
The hospitalisation occurred in the lead-up to Osbourne’s Back to the Beginning farewell concert on July 5th, though the family kept the stay completely under wraps. Sharon explained they were “terrified that people were going to find out” and provided hospital staff with specific instructions and photographs of known visitors to prevent media intrusion.
The secrecy led to an amusing mix-up when someone arrived at the hospital asking for “John Osbourne”, claiming to be his brother. Sharon believed the person was a reporter, as even Osbourne’s actual brothers were unaware of his hospitalisation. Security investigated, only to discover the visitor was actually the brother of a different John Osbourne staying at the same hospital. “Daddy was hysterical laughing,” Sharon recalled of Osbourne’s reaction to the incident.
Osbourne’s final seven months proved particularly challenging medically. In December, he suffered another fall that fractured a vertebra, followed by pneumonia during his hospital stay. Subsequent spinal surgery led to another bout of pneumonia and sepsis, alongside blood clots, early-stage emphysema, a damaged spine, Parkinson’s disease, a collapsed lung, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and heart problems.
The sepsis battle proved especially severe, with Sharon admitting she thought they might lose him during the intensive antibiotic treatment. “It was draining every ounce of strength he had, and it was in March that we thought we were going to lose him,” she said.
Despite the mounting health issues and discussions about cancelling the farewell concert, Osbourne remained determined to perform. “He wanted to say, ‘Thank you,'” Kelly explained. “That meant more to him than anything in the world.”
Sharon emphasised her husband’s unwavering resolve: “The human spirit is stronger than anything, and he was so determined — he wasn’t going to give up on it.” Jack added that performing “was the best medicine for him.”
The preparation wasn’t without its challenges, with Sharon recalling constant outbursts of “Fuck off, get out of here” and Osbourne’s daily wavering between “Cancel the show, I’m not doing it” and “No, no, no don’t cancel it.”
