Kelly Osbourne says the death of her father Ozzy Osbourne was “the hardest moment of my life.”
The heavy metal pioneer and Black Sabbath frontman died July 22 at the age of 76 following a series of health issues, including Parkinson’s disease. Kelly thanked her father’s legion of fans for their support in the wake of an emotional funeral in his hometown of Birmingham, England, last week.
“I’ve sat down to write this a hundred times and still don’t know if the words will ever feel like enough… but from the bottom of my heart, thank you,” Kelly wrote. “The love, support, and beautiful messages I’ve received from so many of you have truly helped carry me through the hardest moment of my life.”
Kelly Osbourne/Instagram
Kelly Osbourne’s Instagram Story
“Every kind word, every shared memory, every bit of compassion has meant more than I can ever explain,” she continued, noting that “grief is a strange thing” in that “it sneaks up on you in waves.”
“I will not be OK for a while,” Kelly said, but the knowledge that her family is “not alone in our pain makes a difference,” she added. “I’m holding on tight to the love, the light, and the legacy left behind. Thank you for being there. I love you all so much.”
Ozzy is also survived by his longtime wife Sharon Osbourne and his other children Jack, Aimee, and Louis.
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Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne, Jack Osbourne, and Kelly Osbourne on ‘The Osbournes’
The Prince of Darkness was laid to rest in a private funeral before a larger public procession on July 30 in the U.K. Fans lined the street to bid farewell as a brass band played Black Sabbath classics. His family congregated at Black Sabbath Bridge to take in the tributes of flowers, balloons, and flags.
He played his final show just three weeks prior to his passing, reuniting with the original Black Sabbath lineup — guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Terence Butler (“Geezer”), and drummer Bill Ward — before a crowd of 40,000 at England’s Villa Park. “I don’t know what to say, man, I’ve been laid up for like six years,” he said on stage. “You have no idea how I feel — thank you from the bottom of my heart. You’re all special. Let’s go crazy, come on.”
Ozzy added towards the end of the set, “I just want to say to you on behalf of the guys in Black Sabbath and myself, your support over the years has made it all possible for us to live the lifestyle that we do. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I love you. We love you.”
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly