Inside Ozzy Osbourne's Health Nightmare: How Black Sabbath Icon Was Forced To End Rock Career After Parkinson's Disease Impacted His Mobility Before His Death at 76
Ozzy Osbourne battled Parkinson's disease as well as neck and spine issues.
July 22 2025, Published 4:05 p.m. ET
Ozzy Osbourne's final years were plagued with health issues, which contributed to the Prince of Darkness' death on Tuesday, July 22, at the age of 76, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The rocker's medical struggles were evident when the Black Sabbath frontman played his final concert with the band on July 5, at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. Osbourne was seated on a bat throne as he was no longer able to walk.
"His Parkinson’s has progressed and he’s in a great deal of pain," an insider said at the time. "But instead of resting, he pushed himself to make this happen."
The Crazy Train artist announced his diagnosis with Parkinson's disease in 2020, which affected both his speech and mobility, but his health issues began long before that.
Horrific 2003 Accident
Osbourne's quad bike accident in 2003 affected his mobility for the rest of his life.
Osbourne, who was open about past struggles with alcohol and drug addiction, suffered his first significant health setback in 2003 when he suffered a near-fatal quad bike accident that resulted in a broken neck.
The War Pigs singer required extensive surgery where metal rods were inserted into his neck and spine, and the injury would have lasting repercussions for years to come.
Osbourne suffered a late-night fall in 2019, which aggravated his neck issues and required another surgery that "screwed all my nerves," he shared in a 2020 interview. The procedure resulted in doctors discovering he had a mild form of Parkinson's disease.
As the singer struggled to finish his sentence while announcing his diagnosis, his wife, Sharon, 72, stepped in. "There are so many different types of Parkinson's. It's not a death sentence by any stretch of the imagination, but it does affect the nerves in your body. It's like you'll have a good day, then a good day, and then a really bad day," she explained.
Mobility Issues
Osbourne was spotted using a cane in the weeks before his death.
Osbourne's mobility issues due to his neck and Parkinson's disease caused him to announce in February 2023 that he was retiring from touring, cancelling highly anticipated shows in the United Kingdom and Europe.
"In all good conscience, I have now come to the realization that I’m not physically capable of doing my upcoming European/UK tour dates, as I know I couldn’t deal with the travel required," he said in a statement.
While noting that "my singing voice is fine," he was still weak physically after several operations and physical therapy.
Osbourne added that he "never would have imagined that my touring days would have ended this way."
His Final Surgery
Osbourne is seen in the car on his way to a doctor's appointment.
Osbourne would undergo his final spinal surgery in September 2023, saying it was his last "because I can't do it anymore," during a September 2023 episode of The Osbournes podcast, a day before the procedure.
"It's alright. I've had that much surgery in the last few years that it's just like going for a f------ haircut now," he snarked.
The rocker said his "feet feel like a brick's tied to them."
He added: "I walked upstairs today, and downstairs, for the first time in a while, and my feet feel like they've got diving boots on. I think it's the nerves. The nerves when I did my spine in are all [messed] up."
Osbourne shared how he desperately wanted to "walk around the block," but his appearance had changed drastically due to his health drama, and he didn't want the paparazzi to spot him.
"When they take my photograph, my mouth's half-open or I'm bent over and it's like, 'Ozzy's on his last legs,'" he said. "I'm far from being on my last legs."
The Final Show
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Ozzy Osbourne got to feel the love from fans one last time.
When announcing his death, Osbourne's family said: "He was with his family and surrounded by love."
Just 17 days earlier, Ozzy got to hear the loud roars of his adoring fans one last time while performing in Birmingham, where Black Sabbath was formed in 1968. From his bat throne, he joyfully told the crowd, "You have no idea how I feel," about being back in his element.
Before the final number, he shared: "It's the last song ever. Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle, thank you from the bottom of our hearts."
Daughter Kelly was there for her dad's moment of glory, sharing photos from the concert, which also featured a slew of top rock and metal legends paying tribute to the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer.
"To say that yesterday was magic was an understatement! I can’t even write this without tears streaming down my face!" she shared in a July 6 Instagram post.
"Thank you to everyone who came to support my dad. Thank you to the fans who, without we are nothing! My dad got his moment in the sun! He was able to say thank you and goodbye in the most beautiful way!"
