Ozzy Osbourne Health Struggles Prior to His Death: A Timeline

Ozzy Osbourne experienced a series of health ups and downs prior to his death.

Ozzy, who tied the knot with Sharon Osbourne in 1982, revealed he had Parkinson’s disease in 2020. (Ozzy and Sharon shared daughters Kelly and Aimee and son Jack. He was also father to Elliot, Louis and Jessica with ex-wife Thelma Riley.)

“It’s been terribly challenging for us all,” he said on Good Morning America at the time. “I did my last show New Year’s Eve at The Forum. Then I had a bad fall. I had to have surgery on my neck, which screwed all my nerves.”

News broke in July 2025 that Ozzy died at age 76, just two weeks after he played his final show with his former band, Black Sabbath.

“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 shared in a statement to Metro at the time. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”

Scroll down to see a timeline of Ozzy’s health struggles:

2003

Ozzy had metal rods placed in his back after a quad bike crash.

October 2018

Ozzy noticed that his right thumb was swollen “the size of a f***ing lightbulb,” leading Sharon to take him to the emergency room for treatment. The rocker later told Rolling Stone that he had contracted a staph infection.

January 2019

Rolling Stone reported that Ozzy suffered a fall, dislodging the metal rods that had been inserted into his back after a 2003 quad bike crash. He underwent surgery to correct the injury but later told Rolling Stone that it “f***ed everything up … I’m wobbling all over the place. And since they cut through the nerves, my right arm feels permanently cold.”

February 2019

Ozzy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, but did not reveal his health diagnosis with fans until the following year.

January 2020

After sharing his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, Ozzy took to social media to provide an update following a related surgery.

“I am now home from the hospital recuperating comfortably,” he wrote via Instagram. “I am definitely feeling the love and support from all my fans and send everyone a big thank you for their thoughts, prayers and well wishes during my recovery.”

June 2022

Sharon announced on The Talk UK in June 2022 that Ozzy would undergo an operation amid health issues. “It’s really going to determine the rest of his life,” she said at the time.

September 2022

Ozzy updated his followers that he’s “improved quite considerably” after the procedure, noting that he “can hold [his] head up” better than before his surgery. “I have to negotiate everywhere I want to go, and I tire easily, but I’m well,” he told GMA in September 2022. “My family have been absolutely wonderful while I’ve been laid up.”

February 2023

Ozzy shared with his fans that his health issues prevented him from going on tour as planned.

“This is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to share with my loyal fans. As you may all know, four years ago, this month, I had a major accident, where I damaged my spine,” he wrote in a lengthy Instagram statement at the time. “My one and only purpose during this time has been to get back on stage. My singing voice is fine. However, after three operations, stem cell treatments, endless physical therapy sessions, and most recently groundbreaking Cybernics (HAL) Treatment, my body is still physically weak.”

May 2025

Two months before his death, Ozzy gave an update on his ongoing health issues. “You wake up the next morning and find that something else has gone wrong. You begin to think this is never going to end,” he said, adding that Sharon organized the final Black Sabbath show as a way to “give me a reason to get up in the morning.”

July 2025

Ozzy died at age 76.