Sharon Osbourne is struggling following the death of her husband Ozzy Osbourne, her son Jack has explained in a devastating new interview. The Black Sabbath legend died in July aged 76, just days after gracing the stage one last time – in a performance orchestrated by wife Sharon.
Ozzy and Sharon had relocated to Buckinghamshire to savour his retirement years in the tranquillity of their rural estate – but the rock icon’s condition deteriorated rapidly following the gig and he died at their home weeks afterwards.
Sharon was last spotted at a public tribute for Ozzy in Birmingham, where she was openly weeping and distressed as she witnessed fan memorials. She has subsequently withdrawn from public appearances to mourn in private but her children – including son Jack – have opened up about her devastating ordeal.
During an interview on Good Morning America, Jack was questioned about how his mum Sharon – who was married to Ozzy for 40 years – is managing, reports the Mirror.
Jack said: “You know, when people have been asking me that question, I say, ‘She’s OK, but she’s not OK'”
When asked if she can “feel the affection and appreciation,” from supporters, Jack responded: “Oh my god, yeah. I know she feels the love.
“None of us expected it to be like this, with that outpour of love.”
He continued: “Every child sits there and kind of has this thought about one day that parents won’t be there, and what will that be like. It’s just a part of being human. We just didn’t think of it. It was a different weight to it, you know?”.
In footage published weeks following Ozzy’s funeral, Sharon confessed she was still struggling to find her bearings.
Speaking alongside daughter Kelly she said: “I’m still having trouble finding the words to express how grateful I am for the overwhelming love and support you’ve shown on social media. Your comments, posts, and tributes have brought me more comfort than you know,” she continued. “None of it has gone unnoticed, in fact, it’s carried me through many nights. Though I’m still finding my footing.”
Just days prior to his passing, Ozzy revealed he credits his marriage to Sharon with allowing him to survive for so many years.
The Black Sabbath legend died aged 76 in July but reckoned he would have met his end much earlier without his devoted wife of 43 years by his side.
Speaking in the new documentary Ozzy: No Escape From Now, he said: “If it wasn’t for Sharon Osbourne, I wouldn’t be here now. I would definitely not have the success I have. I wouldn’t be sober. I’d be six foot under without a shadow of a doubt.
“Because I didn’t drink any less or do any more drugs than any of them, but all the guys I used to do it with, they’re all dead, so there must be something I did right in the world. The one thing I did was have my Sharon.”
Before his passing, Ozzy had been penning a memoir in which he wrote: “If I’d been clean and sober, I wouldn’t be Ozzy. If I had done normal, sensible things, I wouldn’t be Ozzy.”
His son Jack acknowledged there was “some truth” to this, but added: “But here’s the thing, he was clean and sober at the end. And he was still Ozzy.”
In the years leading up to his death, Ozzy grappled with numerous health issues, including a fall in February 2019 and a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. His daughter Kelly spoke about her mother Sharon’s anguish over Ozzy’s final years, as she cared for him through painful operations and tried to provide support.
In the new documentary Ozzy: No Escape From Now, Kelly said: “I think what’s happening to my mum is the most heartbreaking part of this whole thing. And I think that watching the man that she loves most in this world wither is really, really hard.”
Sharon now faces the decision of whether to remain alone in the UK at the Buckinghamshire mansion she renovated with the intention of living there with Ozzy, or return to LA to be closer to her family.
Jack questioned the decision to move back in the new BBC documentary, noting that it would put her far from her beloved grandchildren and could lead to feelings of isolation.
A source commented: “Sharon’s world has been torn apart, they had a clear plan of what they wanted to do and how they would spend their time together, but she didn’t get to do any of it with Ozzy. It’s so sad.”