The official cause of death for legendary rock icon Ozzy Osbourne has been confirmed as a heart attack, according to a death certificate filed in London. The document, first reported by The New York Times, lists his long-term illnesses, including Parkinson’s disease, as contributing factors, providing a clinical conclusion to a life that saw him bravely battle his health issues to achieve his final wish of a farewell performance just one month ago.
The certificate, submitted by his daughter Aimee Rose Osbourne, lists the primary cause of death as an “acute myocardial infarction,” which occurred as an “out of hospital cardiac arrest.” It also notes coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease with autonomic dysfunction as “joint causes.” In a poignant and fitting tribute, his occupation on the document was listed as “Songwriter, Performer and Rock Legend.”
The official record aligns with reports from the day of his passing on July 22. Emergency services, including an air ambulance, were dispatched to his Buckinghamshire home that morning to provide “advanced critical care,” confirming the “out of hospital” nature of the cardiac arrest.
The contributing factors listed on the certificate—Parkinson’s disease and coronary artery disease—were part of a long and public battle Osbourne waged with his health for years. His struggles were compounded by severe spinal injuries sustained in a 2003 quad-bike accident, which were later exacerbated by a fall in 2019. Despite these immense challenges, Osbourne remained determined to take the stage one last time.
In a 2023 interview with Rolling Stone, he laid out his final goal with heartbreaking clarity. “If I can’t continue doing shows on a regular basis, I just want to be well enough to do one show where I can say, ‘Hi, guys. Thanks so much for my life,'” he said. “And if I drop down dead at the end of it, I’ll die a happy man.”
On July 5, 2025, he fulfilled that wish. The “Back To The Beginning” concert at Villa Park in his hometown of Birmingham was a triumphant final act. It saw the historic reunion of the four original members of Black Sabbath for the first time in nearly two decades. Frail but in high spirits, Osbourne performed from a throne, his voice strong as he led a sold-out stadium in a final, joyous celebration of the music that defined a genre.
While his death certificate provides the official reason for his passing, the story of his final month is one of triumph over adversity. He not only got to say “thanks” to his fans but did so on the grandest stage possible, cementing his legacy and dying, by his own definition, a happy man.
