Ozzy Osbourne buried near bat boxes in final tribute that had friends saying ‘he had the last laugh’
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND: Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne was laid to rest on Wednesday, July 30, in an emotional private ceremony at his countryside estate, with a characteristically ironic detail catching mourners' attention.
His final resting place lies just feet away from custom-built bat boxes installed on the property years ago.
Bat boxes near Ozzy Osbourne add an unexpectedly humorous touch to farewell
The bat boxes, meant to support local wildlife, became an unexpected but poetic footnote in the final chapter of the Black Sabbath frontman’s life. A longtime family friend described the setup as having “Ozzy’s signature humor written all over it.”
“This was a classic Ozzy move. The man loved humour and this sure would have tickled him pink, knowing how close friends reacted to this bat situation,” the friend told The Mirror.
“After all those decades caught up in this drama around bats and animal rights groups, here at his final resting place, there are bespoke bat boxes to help encourage the animals to thrive in the UK countryside.”
“It has prompted quite a few laughs and funny reactions. It is just like Ozzy had the last laugh,” the friend added.
They shared that the bat boxes, mounted on trees by the lake some years ago, have unexpectedly brought small moments of joy and laughter to the family during their time of mourning.
A nod to an infamous moment in rock history
The bat boxes naturally recalled one of the most infamous episodes in Ozzy Osbourne’s career: the 1982 onstage incident in Iowa when he bit the head off what he believed was a rubber bat. It turned out to be real.
In one of the most notorious incidents in rock history, heavy metal icon Osbourne shocked audiences during a concert at Des Moines’ Veterans Memorial Auditorium in January 1982.
Mid-performance, something small and black landed on stage. Assuming it was a rubber bat tossed by a fan, Osbourne picked it up and bit the head off. It turned out to be real.
In his 2010 autobiography 'I Am Ozzy,' he reflected on the moment: “Somebody threw a bat. I just thought it was a rubber bat. And I picked it up and put it in my mouth. I bit into it.”
