The world has been left stunned at the news that 76-year-old rock legend Ozzy Osbourne died on July 22. It seems unimaginable, if not for the statement released by his family.
“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,” the statement posted by TMZ read. “He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
The message was signed by wife Sharon Osbourne, and four of his children: Jack, Kelly, Aimee, and Louis. He and Sharon had been together for 45 years, but had known each other even longer than that. While Ozzy’s death seems impossible to his fans, we can only imagine the pain his surviving spouse is enduring.
They Met When She Was Just a Teenager
An 18-year-old Sharon met Ozzy in 1970 when her father, Don Arden, was managing Ozzy’s band, Black Sabbath. When he was kicked out of Black Sabbath in 1980 because of his drug addiction, she stepped in to help him as a friend and became his manager. That year, he released the hit song “Crazy Train” as a solo artist and also began dating Sharon, despite still being married to Thelma Riley.
Fin Costello/RedfernsTwo years later, he and Sharon got married on July 4, 1982, in Hawaii, just months after he and Thelma divorced. They welcomed their daughter, Aimee, in 1983, followed by Kelly in 1984, and Jack in 1985.
In 1989, Ozzy was arrested for attempted murder — of Sharon. She told The Guardian in 2001 that “He was totally insane from all the drink and drugs he was doing, and well, these things happen.” Sharon opted not to press charges, and Ozzy went to rehab for three months to get sober.
In 2002, they became the first reality family when their show, “The Osbournes,” premiered on MTV. The show featured Ozzy, Sharon, Kelly, and Jack, while Aimee opted not to appear. Running for four seasons, it was the most-watched series ever on MTV when it aired. The success of the show catapulted the whole family into the spotlight.
The Couple’s Relationship Has Had a Lot of Challenges
In 2013, the couple began dodging rumors that they were splitting up. Eventually, Ozzy posted on Facebook that he had relapsed, but that he and Sharon were not getting divorced.
“For the last year and a half I have been drinking and taking drugs,” he wrote. “I was in a very dark place and was an [expletive] to the people I love most, my family. However, I am happy to say that I am now 44 days sober.”
Three years later, the couple did split, after Sharon discovered that he was having affairs with six women. One of the women was Ozzy’s former hair stylist, Michelle Pugh, who claimed they’d been involved for four years. It was then reported that the musician was in “intense therapy” for his sex addiction. Despite everything, the couple reunited.
In 2021, Sharon opened up to the Daily Mail about their ‘volatile’ relationship.
“Our fights were, legendary,’ Sharon admitted. “We would beat the [expletive] out of each other. It stopped, must be, 20 years ago, but we had a good run.”
Through All the Ups and Downs, Their Love Never Died
Along with an astounding amount of chaos, the couple’s tenderness towards each other has never disappeared. When she was fired from “The View,” Ozzy was right there to defend Sharon.
When the couple renewed their vows in 2017, Ozzy told Hello! “For me, this was actually our real wedding day. This is the one that I will remember. Sharon and I have been through so much, and this honestly feels like a new beginning.”
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images“Without Sharon, I am nothing. I love her,” he added. “I can honestly say that I have never loved anybody other than my wife.”
Sharon admitted that she felt the same. “We never gave up on each other,” she told People. “I mean, I wasn’t a saint. Ozzy wasn’t a saint. I gave him as good as he gave me. We’re just meant to be.”
Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
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Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne: A Love Story Spanning Decades