Sharon Osbourne's final act of love for her husband, Ozzy, has come to light following his tragic death, revealing the extraordinary lengths she went to in order to fulfil his dying wish. The Black Sabbath icon, died on Tuesday at the age of 76, just weeks after his emotional final performance.
However, behind the scenes of that poignant show was a battle few knew about, fought by Sharon herself. According to reports from MailOnline, insurers had warned that Ozzy's appearance wouldn't be covered if he insisted on standing to perform, fearing the risks were too great given his declining health. Determined not to let anything stop her husband from saying goodbye to his fans, Sharon reportedly launched a behind-the-scenes fight to make the concert happen on his terms even if it meant going against the advice of insurance agents.
Her solution was a black throne, specially arranged so that Ozzy could remain seated while still delivering a powerful farewell. The gothic-style chair decorated with a bat, a nod to one of his most infamous stage antics allowed him to perform five solo tracks and four Black Sabbath classics in front of a crowd that knew it might be their last glimpse of the rock legend.
The final photo ever taken of Ozzy shows him seated on that throne, his face lit by stage lights, surrounded by the roar of fans. His parting words to the audience were: "It's the last song ever. Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts."
As the music faded, a message appeared on screen: "Thank you for everything. You guys are f***ing amazing. Birmingham Forever." The sky then erupted with fireworks, in a fitting end to one of music's most legendary careers.
Tragically, days after that performance, Ozzy's health took a turn for the worse.
On Wednesday, it was revealed that an air ambulance was scrambled to the Osbournes' Buckinghamshire estate, Welders House, a Grade II-listed mansion nestled near Chalfont St Giles.
Emergency crews from Thames Valley Air Ambulance received urgent calls around 10:30am on Tuesday.
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