How Ozzy Osbourne wanted to be remembered before death at 76

Ozzy Osbourne knew exactly how he wanted his memory to live on.

Prior to his death at age 76, the legendary rocker said “survival is my legacy” during a 2022 interview with People.

The Black Sabbath frontman confirmed his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 2020. Osbourne had also undergone multiple surgeries in recent years, including going under the knife for a debilitating spinal injury in 2019.

“I mean, I’m 73. People go, ‘Well, you’re 70… why don’t I throw the towel in?’ Why should I? People still want to buy my records,” he told the outlet at the time. “People still want to see me, so why should I? It motivates me to get off my backside and do something. I mean, if my career had gone down the toilet and I knew it was the end, I’d be pretty miserable.”

Osbourne also detailed how he wants others to interpret his legacy.

“Never give up,” the Grammy winner stated. “If you’ve got a passion for something, you’ve got to find a way around it to carry on the passion.”

In 2018, Osbourne touched on being a two-time Hall of Famer, telling The Guardian: “I’d like to be remembered for the work I did with Black Sabbath. I’m so proud of the music. But to be honest, just being remembered would be an achievement to me.”

He added, “I come from Aston in Birmingham, y’know? I used to play on bombsites… There’s a guy living in the house I grew up in, and they charge people £200 to sleep in the bedroom I had as a kid.”

Osbourne’s family confirmed his death to The Post on Tuesday, sharing, “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. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family’s privacy at this time.”

Two years before his passing, the star got candid on his ailments.

“It’s been five years of absolute hell for me and the family,” Osbourne said on “Piers Morgan Uncensored” in Sept. 2023.

“My family has been so supportive,” he continued. “I couldn’t have done it without them. It’s been really a bad scene.”

The rocker, who was diagnosed in 2003, shared: “I have Parkinson’s — but I never think about it.”

Jack Osbourne, who was at the interview with his mom Sharon and sister Kelly, told Morgan, 60, that the “biggest misconception” about his dad’s condition was that Parkinson’s was his only health challenge.

“It’s really the neck injury and the fall that he took,” Jack, 39, explained about the Prince of Darkness.

In 2019, the late star fell and suffered a major neck injury that required surgery. He previously hurt his neck in 2000 during a bike crash.

“I just got up and carried on but I had broken my neck, and I carried on working with it until I had that fall, and then just everything came undone,” he explained.

Sharon, 72, also revealed how her husband’s health challenges affected her.

“It changes your whole life,” she confessed. “Suddenly you’re off in another direction and your life changes so drastically. It’s really hard. For the last five years, our life has changed dramatically.”

“But on the other hand,” Sharon noted, “it’s great that I’ve had Ozzy at home for five years. He’s driving me crazy, but we’ve been together everyday for five years.”

In 2023, the musician canceled his tour three months before it was scheduled to kick off due to health complications.

The heavy metal icon told Rolling Stone at the time that he had “at best, ten years left” to live.

“I don’t fear dying,” he said. “But I don’t want to have a long, painful and miserable existence. I like the idea that if you have a terminal illness, you can go to a place in Switzerland and get it done quickly. I saw my father die of cancer.”

Two weeks prior to his death, the reality television alum performed at Black Sabbath’s “Back to the Beginning” farewell concert.

He couldn’t walk on his own anymore, sat in a black leather chair and performed for the crowd at Villa Park.

The legendary hitmaker sang five songs solo, and was then accompanied by his former bandmates Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler for four final Black Sabbath tunes.