Ozzy Osbourne Reflects On Outliving His 'Drinking Buddies': 'Why Am I The Last Man Standing?'

Reflecting on a tumultuous history with substance abuse, rock and roll legend Ozzy Osbourne expressed surprise at outliving his rocker peers.

Despite his wife Sharon Osbourne's worries, Ozzy, with 100 million records sold, hopes to return to the stage again. Sharon recently disclosed how many operations the singer had undergone within the past five years, emphasizing how much care he needs at this point in his life.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stones, Ozzy opened up about surviving a tumultuous history with booze and drugs, expressing surprise at outliving his late "drinking buddies" like Lemmy and Pete Way.

While contemplating his near-death experiences, the 74-year-old said, "I've been doing a lot of reflection while I've been laid up, and all my drinking partners, I've realized they're all f------ dead."

The Rolling Stone UK Icon Award recipient questioned why he's still alive, adding, "I should have been dead before loads of them. Why am I the last man standing?"

Ozzy wondered about his survival, noting how many times he had undergone medical operations due to his health battles.

"Sometimes I look in the mirror and go, 'Why the f--- did you make it? I should have been dead a thousand times. I've had my stomach pumped God knows how many times," he stated, per Daily Mail.

At the Rolling Stone UK Awards in London's Camden Roundhouse, Sharon Osbourne proudly accepted The Icon honor on behalf of her husband. 

Unable to attend due to health reasons, the rock legend received recognition for his 55-year music career.

Sharon delivered a heartfelt acceptance speech, stating: "At times, I've just felt so helpless and so bad for Ozzy. He's gone through all these operations, and the whole thing has felt like a nightmare."

She continued: "He hasn't lost his sense of humor, but I look at my husband, and he's here while everyone else is out on the road."

The talk show host emphasized the rarity of Ozzy being home for an extended period, adding: "This is the longest time he hasn't ever worked for. Being at home for so long has been so foreign to him."

Osbourne, fondly referred to as the Prince of Darkness, has had an illustrious career, selling over 100 million records. However, he announced his retirement from touring earlier this year after disclosing his battle with a mild form of Parkinson's disease in 2020, despite the diagnosis dating back to 2003.

The "Crazy Train" singer attributes his health challenges to a 2019 fall, causing metal rods in his back, which were placed there after a 2003 quad bike accident at his Buckinghamshire home, to dislodge.

Detailing the complications from subsequent surgeries, he shared with Rolling Stone UK, "The second surgery went drastically wrong and virtually left me crippled. I thought I'd be up and running after the second and third, but with the last one they put a f----- rod in my spine."

The Grammy award winner added: "They found a tumor in one of the vertebrae, so they had to dig all that out too. It's pretty rough, man, and my balance is all f---- up."

However, in an interview with SiriusXM, Osbourne shared his desire to return to touring if his health allows. He expressed optimism, saying, "So, if I can ever get back to where I can tour again, fine."

While acknowledging his current inability to commit to immediate touring, the "Paranoid" singer emphasized his passion for being on the road, adding, "But right now, if you said to me, 'Can you go on the road in a month?' I couldn't say yes. I mean, if I could tour, I'd tour."

In a recent interview with the Daily Mail, Sharon shared a bleak update on her husband's health.

Expressing the emotional toll of witnessing Ozzy's ongoing decline due to an illness that progresses over time, Sharon described, "It's just been heartbreaking for me to see my husband in a position where he's not self-sufficient, he needs help." 

She added, "He was so vibrant, with such a zest for life. But you learn to adapt."

After undergoing neck surgery in September, the "Iron Man" singer declared it his last. Sharon explained: "He's had seven operations in five years. There’s nothing more they can do. Now it’s about recuperating."

She also noted that her husband was on "huge amounts of blood thinners" and would need to act with care because any fall could cause him to "bleed out."