Ozzy Osbourne gave fans a “surreal” experience a few weeks ago at a meet and greet in Birmingham, England, in what turned out to be his final public appearance.
Osbourne, who died Tuesday at 76 amid a battle with Parkinson’s disease, was the main attraction at Comic Con Midlands on July 12, alongside wife Sharon, son Jack and daughter Kelly.
Several attendees—one of whom traveled all the way from Indiana—described how much the moment meant to them.
“I’m so excited to be here, I love Ozzy more than anything,” Danielle Coulter, who also saw Black Sabbath’s farewell show July 5, told the BBC. “Coming here is my first overseas trip and I would only do that for Ozzy.”
Thirty-year fan Christy Willison told the outlet that the experience left her “shaking,” while Andy Coleman said it was “magical.”
“They smiled and said ‘thank you for being here’ and that was it, but it was just such a magical moment,” he said. “I never thought I’d get the opportunity to meet Ozzy, it was just the most surreal moment.”
The price for a photo-op with the “Prince of Darkness” was $900, according to the BBC, with an autograph costing an additional $500 to $1,000, depending on the item.
The number of those who met Osbourne wasn’t immediately clear—organizers didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry from the Daily Beast—but photos taken by the BBC show long lines.
Osbourne’s appearance in Birmingham, where he was raised, occurred a week after his and Black Sabbath’s farewell show in the same city—a charity event that raised more than $190 million.
Tom Morello, the Rage Against the Machine guitarist and musical director of the Back to the Beginning concert, said the money will be divided equally to Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Acorn Children’s Hospice, and Cure Parkinson’s. Osbourne was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2019.
Back to the Beginning, which sold out almost immediately and included performances by many other big names, was the first live show with Black Sabbath’s original lineup in twenty years.
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