What Was Ozzy Osbourne’s Cause of Death? Remembering the Rock Legend, 1 Year Later

Ozzy Osbourne died from a heart attack on July 22, 2025

NEED TO KNOW

• Ozzy Osbourne died one year ago on July 22, 2025
• The Black Sabbath frontman suffered a heart attack at 76 years old
• His family — including wife Sharon and kids Kelly and Jack — have continued to honor him and discuss their grief

It’s been one year since Ozzy Osbourne died on July 22, 2025.

The Black Sabbath frontman died from a heart attack he suffered at his family home near Chalfont St. Giles in Buckinghamshire, England, PEOPLE confirmed at the time. Osbourne was transported via helicopter to Harefield Hospital in Uxbridge, where he was pronounced dead. He was 76.

Prior to his death, Osbourne had suffered various health issues — including being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003 and treating various spinal issues.

Osbourne rose to fame through Black Sabbath and later introduced his family to the spotlight with the famous reality TV show The Osbournes, which aired from 2002 to 2005. His wife, Sharon Osbourne, and several of his six kids — Jessica, Louis, Elliot, Aimee, Kelly and Jack — mourned their late family member’s death and have continued to honor his legacy over the last year. His wife and children attended his emotional funeral procession on July 30, 2025, in Birmingham, England.

“It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,” Osbourne’s family told PEOPLE in a statement at the time of his death. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”

Here’s everything to know about Ozzy Osbourne’s death and legacy one year after he died.

What were Osbourne’s health issues prior to his death?

Before Osbourne died, he had suffered from various illnesses and ailments.

In January 2020, Osbourne and his wife, Sharon, appeared on Good Morning America alongside their children, Jack and Kelly, and revealed that Osbourne had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003.

“It’s like you have a good day, a good day, and then a really bad day,” Sharon said at the time, while clarifying that his condition was “not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination.”

For his part, Osbourne added that he was struggling not being able to work or provide for his family.

“Coming from a working-class background, I hate to let people down,” he said. “I hate to not do my job. And so when I see my wife goin’ to work, my kids goin’ to work, everybody’s doing — tryin’ to be helpful to me, that gets me down because I can’t contribute to my family, you know.”

In 2025, Osbourne confirmed that he was no longer able to walk as a result of the disease, but he was still working with a physiotherapist to maintain his muscle movement. In addition to his Parkinson’s diagnosis, Osbourne underwent hand surgery to treat a thumb infection, was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection and had over three spinal surgeries.

What was Osbourne’s cause of death?

On July 22, 2025, Osbourne died of “out of hospital cardiac arrest” and “acute myocardial infarction,” a death certificate obtained by PEOPLE read.

Coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease with autonomic dysfunction were listed as “joint causes.”

After his death was confirmed by his family, PEOPLE confirmed that a Thames Valley Air Ambulance helicopter “was dispatched to provide advanced critical care at an incident near Chalfont St Giles on Tuesday 22nd July.”

A source told PEOPLE that Osbourne and Sharon had moved to Buckinghamshire, England, in 2023.

“It was a gift, because they got a year and half together, at home,” the insider shared. “Ozzy’s final days were spent in England, surrounded by family, music and in the place he called home. He was in peace.”

What did Osbourne’s family say about his death?

Shortly after his family announced his death, they publicly and privately mourned their beloved family member.

A source later told PEOPLE that Sharon was “heartbroken‘” over the loss but also “very proud of the life the family built together.”

“Everyone’s rallying around her,” the insider said. “She’s been the rock of this family for decades, and now it’s her turn to be held up.”

Sharon broke her silence on the death two months later in September 2025 by posting a video of her feeding a falcon.

“I’m still having trouble finding the words to express how grateful I am for the overwhelming love and support you’ve shown on social media,” she captioned the Instagram video. “Your comments, posts, and tributes have brought me more comfort than you know. None of it has gone unnoticed, in fact, it’s carried me through many nights. Though I’m still finding my footing, I wanted to share some glorious creatures I had the chance to spend an afternoon with.”

Sharon continued, “The connection you make with these powerful birds is built entirely on trust and confidence. They’ll choose to perch on you only if they sense you are safe and unafraid of them. It’s a bond I know all too well, and the experience was nothing short of magical.”

Two days after her father’s death, Kelly posted lyrics from the Black Sabbath song “Changes” to her Instagram Stories and wrote, “I feel unhappy I am so sad. I lost the best friend I ever had 💔.” Since then, Kelly has continued sharing some of her favorite quotes and memories with her dad on social media.

Meanwhile, Jack honored his father by sharing an emotional tribute video on Instagram.

“I haven’t really wanted to post anything since the passing of my father. My heart has hurt too much,” Jack began. “He was so many things to so many people, but I was so lucky and blessed to be apart of a very small group that got to call him ‘Dad.’ My heart is full of so much sadness and sorrow, but also so much love and gratitude. I got 14,501 days with that man and I know that is such a blessing.”

Both Jessica and Louis — whom Osbourne shared with ex-wife Thelma Riley — also paid their respects on social media. Aimee later detailed how her dad had struggled for years with his health after his 2003 ATV accident.

In November 2025, Sharon, Kelly and Jack all reunited for the first episode of their podcast, The Osbournes, in more than a year to emotionally reflect on Ozzy’s death.

“I never realized just how horrible grief is. I never knew I was capable of loving somebody so much and missing somebody so much,” Kelly said through tears. “I just — I never thought there’d be a day where he wouldn’t be here.”

For her part, Sharon said her grief has been coming in “waves,” but she still “hate[s] going to bed at night.” Jack emotionally shared that his journey has been “both horrible and beautiful.”

“It is both horrible and beautiful in the way that it forces you to unpack and examine things,” he reflected. “Like, yeah, it sucks that he’s gone, but also, for me, it has led to a huge amount of gratitude and love and really cherishing moments that at the time you take for granted.”

How has Osbourne’s legacy been honored since his death?

In the last year, Osbourne’s family and other organizations have ensured his legacy is alive.

At the 2026 Grammy Awards, Osbourne was honored with a star-studded performance of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” that included appearances from Post Malone, Slash, Andrew Watt, Duff McKagan and Chad Smith.

“You know, it’s just such a beautiful thing that his peers are showing their love and respect for his work tonight, and it’s going to be an emotional experience for us,” Kelly told PEOPLE of the performance at the awards show.

One year after his death, his hometown of Birmingham announced that they would be hosting the first “Ozzy Day” on July 22. The celebration will include live concerts, art displays and other Osbourne memorabilia.

“Ozzy Day is a fantastic example of Birmingham working together to celebrate the legendary Ozzy Osbourne,” said Sam Watson, Chair of Central BID Birmingham, in a statement. “By bringing together businesses, cultural organizations and public spaces, we’re creating a city centre wide experience that encourages people to celebrate the legacy of a truly global, Birmingham-born icon.”

In the last year, Osbourne’s family was also invited to Congress to accept him being formally entered into the U.S. Congressional Record for his influence in art and music.

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