The official cause of death for legendary rock icon Ozzy Osbourne has been revealed. According to a death certificate obtained by The New York Times and The Sun, the Black Sabbath frontman died from “out of hospital cardiac arrest” and “acute myocardial infarction.” Additional contributing conditions listed include coronary artery disease, Parkinson’s disease, and autonomic dysfunction.
Osbourne passed away on Tuesday, July 22, at the age of 76. His daughter Aimee reportedly submitted the death certificate to a registrar’s office in London.
“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 Osbourne family said in a statement to PEOPLE. “He was with his family, surrounded by affection. We ask that everyone respect our family’s privacy during this time.”
Shortly after the announcement, a representative from Thames Valley Air Ambulance confirmed that an aircraft had been dispatched to an incident near Chalfont St Giles on July 22. According to the Daily Mail, the helicopter was sent to the Osbourne family home, where medical personnel reportedly provided two hours of critical care before the rock star passed.
Osbourne was laid to rest during an emotional funeral procession on July 30 in Birmingham, England. He is survived by his wife Sharon and children Louis, Aimee, Kelly, and Jack.
Just weeks before his passing, Osbourne gave his final performance during a Black Sabbath farewell event in Birmingham on July 5 — his first appearance with the band in two decades. Seated on a bat-adorned throne with skull-shaped armrests, the performance marked a poignant end to a storied career.
Throughout the last several years of his life, Osbourne battled numerous health issues. In January 2020, he publicly revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease — a neurological disorder that impairs movement — since 2003. “It’s not a death sentence,” he said at the time.
In 2019, Osbourne suffered a fall at his Los Angeles home that required neck surgery. Despite these challenges, he made a triumphant return to the stage at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, performing for a crowd of over 30,000.
Later that year, he told PEOPLE he wasn’t ready to give up on live performances:
“That’s the only thing that reminds me I’m getting older — things going wrong and not working anymore. But I still feel young at heart.”
Unfortunately, his declining health forced the cancellation of several U.K. and European tour dates in 2023. “My singing voice is fine,” he shared on Instagram, “but despite three operations, stem cell treatments, extensive physical therapy, and even breakthrough Cybernics (HAL) Treatment, my body remains physically weak.”
He later had to withdraw from the Power Trip festival in Indio, California, and was unable to attend his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction performance.
Still, Osbourne faced each setback with characteristic grit and dark humor. In a 2007 interview with The Guardian, he called his journey “an incredible adventure,” recalling:
“I can distinctly remember sitting on the step of my house in Aston, daydreaming about what it would be like to be a Beatle. It’s like I’ve been in the music industry for 30, 40 years, and it’s been absolutely fantastic.”
In his final interview with PEOPLE in 2022, Osbourne summed up his legacy simply and powerfully:
“Survival is my legacy.”