Ozzy Osbourne drew tens of thousands to the streets of Birmingham on Wednesday (July 30) as mourners lined Broad Street to honor the late Black Sabbath icon with a public funeral procession following his death on July 22 at age 76.
The hearse carrying Osbourne’s casket passed the Black Sabbath Bridge, where his widow, Sharon Osbourne, and their children Aimee, Jack and Kelly Osbourne stepped out to take in the sea of tributes left by grieving supporters. Sharon, visibly emotional and looking dangerously frail, leaned on her children as they walked together. After a few quiet minutes at the bridge, she turned to the crowd and raised Ozzy’s trademark peace sign.
The crowd erupted into chants of “Ozzy Ozzy Ozzy, oi oi oi!” and “Thank you, Ozzy” as the family returned to the vehicle. Purple floral arrangements spelling out “Ozzy” rested atop the casket. A private memorial was scheduled for later that day at an undisclosed location, limited to close friends and family.
Earlier in the day, a local brass band kicked off the procession with renditions of Osbourne’s classics, including “Iron Man.” The tribute followed Osbourne’s final public appearance in Birmingham earlier this month during “Back to the Beginning,” a farewell concert celebrating Black Sabbath’s legacy. Though seated due to spinal injuries and Parkinson’s disease, Osbourne attended the event and was described as being in good spirits.
Ozzy’s death marked the end of a decades-long career that helped shape heavy metal and redefine rock performance.
Known for his haunting vocals and theatrical stage presence, Osbourne rose to fame in the 1970s as the frontman of Black Sabbath. With tracks like “Paranoid,” “War Pigs” and “Iron Man,” the band laid the foundation for heavy metal. Osbourne later found solo success with hits like “Crazy Train” and “Mr. Crowley,” and became a pop culture fixture through his reality TV show, The Osbournes, and his unfiltered public persona.
Concerns have also grown around Sharon Osbourne’s health following her emotional appearance at the procession. Supporters online expressed worry after seeing her visibly distressed and physically leaning on her children. Sharon, 71, has previously spoken about her own medical issues, including a hospitalization in 2022. She has lost a drastic amount of weight in the interim, and fans are worried she could suffer further health complications due to Ozzy’s death.
“Seeing Sharon so fragile at the Black Sabbath bench, standing in front of all the tributes, completely shattered it was so hard to watch,” one person wrote. “She looked like a woman holding herself together by a thread, surrounded by so much love and yet completely lost without him.”
Another added, “Sharon Osbourne is inconsolable. Mannnn, i hope she survives the heartbreak. She really loved Ozzy.”
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