While the world is reflecting on the musical legacy of Ozzy Osbourne, his six children are remembering the man behind the microphone—their father.
The legendary Black Sabbath frontman, who passed away peacefully at age 76, was surrounded by his loved ones during his final moments.
Although his fame was forged on stage, Ozzy’s family life was layered, complicated, and, at times, painful.
Through two marriages and decades of fame, Ozzy’s role as a father left different marks on each of his children.
A First Family Born from the Chaos of Early Stardom
Ozzy’s journey into fatherhood began long before reality TV or Grammy Awards.
In 1971, he married Thelma Riley, a teacher he met in a Birmingham nightclub.
Together, they had two children: Jessica and Louis.
He also adopted Thelma’s son, Elliot, who was five years old at the time.
But the rock and roll lifestyle soon clashed with any hope of domestic normalcy.
In the 2011 documentary God Bless Ozzy Osbourne, produced by his son Jack, Ozzy confessed he couldn’t even remember the birthdates of Louis and Jessica.
It was a raw admission that reflected the toll his substance abuse had taken on those early years.
Louis, in the same film, shared a bittersweet picture of growing up with Ozzy.
He recalled that when Ozzy was sober, he was a great dad—but those times were rare.
“I just have a lot of memories of him being drunk,” Louis said candidly.
“Driving cars through fields in the middle of the night and crashing them… It’s not good for family life, really.”
Jessica, Ozzy’s daughter from that marriage, also opened up about the emotional distance. “I don’t remember being put to bed or having a bath by dad,” she said.
“He wasn’t there for things like sports days or parents’ evenings.”
A New Chapter with Sharon and a Famous Trio of Kids
After splitting from Thelma, Ozzy found lasting love with Sharon Osbourne, marrying her in 1982. Their family quickly grew.
Aimee, their first daughter, was born in 1983, followed by Kelly in 1984, and Jack in 1985.
This second round of fatherhood played out more publicly—especially once the family became household names thanks to The Osbournes, the hit reality show that aired in the early 2000s.
But not all of the children took to the spotlight.
Aimee’s Quiet Rebellion Against the Reality Show Spotlight
Aimee, the eldest child of Ozzy and Sharon, famously chose not to take part in The Osbournes.
Though she lived in California during much of her childhood, she moved out at age 16 when filming began.
For Aimee, the decision was about protecting her sense of self amid the chaos.
“Why on earth would I want that portrayed on television?” she once said.
“I was still figuring out who I was.” In a later interview, she explained further, saying, “I just didn’t choose to do the show.
I want to be a singer… I didn’t want to be typecast.”
Despite this tension, Aimee always maintained that she wasn’t a recluse or troubled teen.
She described herself as private and driven—and acknowledged that her choice created some strain with Sharon.
Aimee and Kelly: Sisters Who Struggle to Understand Each Other
One of the more delicate family dynamics has been between Aimee and her younger sister, Kelly.
Their relationship has long been marked by distance.
In a 2021 interview on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast, Kelly admitted, “We don’t talk.
We’re just really different. She doesn’t understand me and I don’t understand her.”
Years earlier, in 2015, Aimee had already acknowledged the same sentiment, saying: “I wouldn’t say there is an ease between us… Do we socialize? No.”
Though they share the same blood, their lifestyles and personalities have clearly set them apart.
Still, Aimee has a strong bond with her brother Jack, and the two even co-run a production company, Osbourne Media.
A Complicated Legacy of Love and Imperfection
Ozzy Osbourne’s death marks the end of an era—not just in music, but in the deeply layered story of a father whose life was anything but ordinary.
His children now carry forward both his legacy and the emotional complexities that came with growing up with a rock icon.
While not all his children experienced the same kind of closeness with him, they each hold pieces of the story that was Ozzy—the father, the performer, and the man who, for better or worse, shaped their lives in unforgettable ways.