
Parkinson's disease charities praise Ozzy Osbourne's openness about condition
In 2020, Osbourne revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and he paused touring in 2023 after extensive spinal surgery.
He had a fall at home in 2019 which aggravated injuries from a near-fatal quad bike crash in 2003.
Parkinson's UK chief executive Caroline Rassell said: 'News of Ozzy Osbourne's death, so soon after his celebratory homecoming show, will come as a shock to so many.
'By speaking openly about both his diagnosis and life with Parkinson's, Ozzy and all his family helped so many families in the same situation.
'They normalised tough conversations and made others feel less alone with a condition that's on the rise and affecting more people every day.
'All of our heartfelt thoughts are with his family, friends and fans worldwide. His memory and the impact he left on the world will live on in all of them.'
Helen Matthews, chief executive of Cure Parkinson's, said: 'We are devastated to hear the news about Ozzy and all our thoughts are with Sharon and his family.
'It seems incredible that a couple of short weeks ago Ozzy, Black Sabbath and all the acts that contributed to Back to the Beginning produced the most phenomenal and vibrant concert at Villa Park.
'We are so grateful to Ozzy for all he has done to put a spotlight on the work of Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham children's Hospital and Acorns Children's Hospice.
'On behalf of us all at Cure Parkinson's – thank you.'
Osbourne said earlier this year that the last six years had been 'full of some of the worst times I've been through'.
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The Independent
25-07-2025
- The Independent
Ozzy Osbourne's rare form of Parkinson's, explained
Heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne died at 76, having been diagnosed with a rare genetic form of Parkinson's disease over two decades ago. While the exact cause of his death was not explicitly stated, he had been living with the condition since 2003 and recently spoke about his inability to walk. Osbourne was affected by a mutation in the PARK 2 gene, a rare recessive form that is the most common cause of early-onset Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's is a degenerative neurological disorder that impacts over 1.1 million Americans and is characterised by slow movements, tremors, and balance problems due to the loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells. Although Parkinson's itself is not considered fatal, complications such as aspiration pneumonia, caused by muscle weakness affecting swallowing and coughing, account for a significant percentage of deaths among patients.


The Independent
25-07-2025
- The Independent
What to know about Ozzy Osbourne's rare form of Parkinson's disease
British heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne died earlier this week at 76 years old, more than 20 years since the 'Prince of Darkness' was first diagnosed with a rare form of genetic Parkinson's disease. The cause of the Black Sabbath frontman's recent death has not been made explicit. By this year, Osbourne told listeners of his SiriusXM radio show 'Ozzy Speaks' that he could no longer walk due to the condition he'd been diagnosed with in 2003. 'I have made it to 2025,' he said, according to People. 'I can't walk, but you know what I was thinking over the holidays? For all my complaining, I'm still alive.' Parkinson's disease is a degenerative neurological disorder that is characterized by slow movements, tremors, and balance problems, according to the Parkinson's Foundation. Most cases happen for unknown reasons, but some are inherited, the Cleveland Clinic notes. There are several types of Parkinson's disease, including genetic, early-onset, and sporadic: the most common. "Genetic forms of Parkinson's account for approximately 8 percent of individuals receiving a Parkinson's diagnosis,' Deputy Director of Research at Parkinson's UK David Dexter explained in a statement. Osbourne was impacted by a gene called PARK 2, which is also known as PRKN-2. When the gene is mutated, it is the most common cause of early-onset Parkinson's disease. A rare recessive form of the disease may be caused by that mutation. PARK 2 mutations cause about 15 percent of genetic and 4 percent of the most common disease cases with early onset Parkinson's. People are diagnosed with Parkinson's at an average age of 60, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. In Parkinson's disease nerve cells in the brain slowly break down and die. Many symptoms are caused by a loss of those cells that produce dopamine – a mood regulator – in the brain. Decreased dopamine leads to irregular brain activity, according to the Mayo Clinic. People with Parkinson's disease also lose another chemical messenger known as norepinephrine that controls blood pressure and other bodily functions. Parkinson's isn't curable, but there are many different treatment options, including brain surgery. Osbourne had been receiving stem cell treatments, which are used to supplement dopamine loss. Parkinson's disease impacts more than 1.1 million Americans, and it is the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. An estimated 90,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with Parkinson's every year and death rates have surged by about 63 percent over the last 20 years. While Parkinson's itself is not considered fatal, people can die from complications of the disease, including lung problems tied to muscle weakness that impede the ability to cough and to swallow. Aspiration pneumonia accounts for 70 percent of deaths among Parkinson's patients, according to a federal study. That occurs when bacteria from the mouth is pulled into the lungs. "There's so many different types of Parkinson's; it's not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination, but it does affect certain nerves in your body,' Ozzy's wife Sharon Osbourne previously told ABC News' 'Good Morning America.' 'And it's like you have a good day, a good day, and then a really bad day." Sharon also told RadioX that Ozzy had to work with a physiotherapist every day to keep his muscles moving. 'I may be moaning that I can't walk but I look down the road and there's people that didn't do half as much as me and didn't make it,' Ozzy said on SiriusXM.


Daily Mirror
24-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Ozzy Osbourne's heartbreaking downturn in his final days as Sharon speaks out
Ozzy Osbourne battled ill health for years but the Black Sabbath frontman's death on Tuesday still came as a shock to many - especially as Kelly hit out at claims he was dying earlier this month The news of Ozzy Osbourne 's death shocked the world on Tuesday as the Black Sabbath frontman died just weeks after his final performance in his hometown of Birmingham. Although the legendary rocker had been battling ill health for several years, Ozzy had appeared to be in good spirits in the days leading up to his death. His daughter Kelly Osbourne, 40, even slammed rumours that her beloved father was dying earlier this month, telling fans "yes, he has Parkinson's, and yes, his mobility is completely different than it used to be but he's not dying." The singer, who had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019, was "with his family and surrounded by love" during his final moments. Since his death was announced on Tuesday, more details about the battle to save the War Pigs rocker have emerged. Air ambulance Air ambulance paramedics fought valiantly for hours to save the life of rock legend Ozzy Osbourne after he fell critically ill, the world learned yesterday. It's reported that an air ambulance touched down in a field near Ozzy's UK residence around 10:30am on Tuesday, in a desperate attempt to revive the Black Sabbath frontman, but tragically, their efforts were in vain. A local resident described the community's concern upon seeing the helicopter descend near Ozzy and Sharon's home. Speaking to MailOnline, they said: "All of us were talking about it and wondering what had happened. We immediately feared it may be for him as he was known to be in fragile health. When we heard later that night that he had died it confirmed our worst fears." A representative for Thames Valley Air Ambulance confirmed their involvement, stating: "We can confirm that our helicopter was dispatched to provide advanced critical care at an incident near Chalfont St Giles yesterday." The helicopter departed from RAF Benson in Oxfordshire, near to Ozzy's residence, which sits in Valfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire. It's understood that the medical team were airborne for merely 15 minutes before reaching Ozzy, and remained for approximately two hours trying to preserve his life. Thames Valley Air Ambulance serves Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire and frequently arrives at the patient's location within just 15 minutes. The distinctive red aircraft is typically deployed for patients needing the most critical care, from cardiac episodes to strokes and road traffic collisions. Final family video Ozzy was captured spending precious moments with his family in footage shared just two days before his passing. The clip has drawn widespread attention this week following news of the rock legend's death last night. His daughter Kelly, 40, posted the video on her Instagram Story on July 20, just two days before the Black Sabbath icon passed away. The footage revealed Ozzy using a tablet whilst seated at a table alongside his youngest daughter and her two year old son Sidney. The trio were filmed enjoying breakfast together, with newspapers - including the Sunday Mirror - clearly visible on the table before them. Kelly opened the clip by greeting viewers with: "Good morning." She then moved the camera to reveal her father. Kelly affectionately called Ozzy, who was wearing headphones, "dadda" during one moment in the footage. She subsequently encouraged him: "Say good morning!". When prompted to acknowledge viewers, Ozzy leaned forwards and cheerfully declared: "Good morning!". Sharon speaks Sharon Osbourne reacted to Gavin Rossdale's tribute to her late husband last night, her first public comment since the passing of the Black Sabbath icon at the age of 76 on Tuesday. Gavin captioned a photo of himself and Ozzy: "RIP OZZY - a great man - a true legend. I met Ozzy through Jack just a few times but he was so warm and kind and funny and I love that memory. Sending much love to his family at this difficult time. Rest in power." Replying to the Bush frontman's Instagram post in honour of the Paranoid rocker, Sharon responded: "Bless you." The former America's Got Talent judge had shared a family statement with her kids Aimee, 41, Kelly, 40, and Jack, 39, announcing the sad news of Ozzy's death. It read: "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. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time." Ozzy's death comes just weeks after he played a farewell gig with Black Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Terence 'Geezer' Butler at Villa Park in his home city of Birmingham and the trio all shared tributes to the heavy metal pioneer. Butler wrote on Instagram: "Thanks for all those years - we had some great fun. Four kids from Aston - who'd have thought, eh? So glad we got to do it one more time, back in Aston. Love you." Guitarist Iommi added: "It's just such heartbreaking news that I can't really find the words, there won't be another like him. Geezer, Bill and myself have lost our brother." Ward posted on social media: "Where will I find you now? In the memories, our unspoken embraces, our missed phone calls... no, you're forever in my heart."