Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist Jake E Lee shares heartbreaking final text from rocker days before his death
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Ozzy Osbourne’s former guitarist, Jake E Lee, has revealed the last message he received from the late Black Sabbath frontman.
The emotional exchange came just two weeks before Osbourne’s death in England at age 76.
Jake E Lee says Ozzy Osbourne texted, ‘We must hook up… much love and respect’
Osbourne’s family confirmed his death on Tuesday, July 22, with a statement asking for privacy and noting he died surrounded by loved ones at home.
Jake E Lee was a crucial part of Osbourne’s band from 1982 to 1987, contributing to major albums such as 'Bark At The Moon' and 'The Ultimate Sin'.
After years of no contact, the two reconnected last year following a life-threatening incident that left Lee shot three times near his Las Vegas home.
“It’s been 37 years since I’ve seen Jake E Lee, but that still doesn’t take away from the shock of hearing what happened to him,” Ozzy said at the time.
They met again at Osbourne’s farewell Black Sabbath show in Birmingham on July 5, weeks before his death, where Lee had been invited to perform by Tom Morello, the event’s musical director. It marked their first reunion in nearly four decades.
Ozzy Osbourne was 'sorry' for not being able to spend more time with Jake E Lee
Lee shared the final message he received from Osbourne through a Facebook post.
“The finality of it hits me in waves,” Lee wrote before revealing the text Ozzy sent while waiting at an airport when leaving UK after attending Ozzy's final gig.
Osbourne’s message read: "Hi jake im so sorry i couldnt spend more time with you on the weekend but it was really chaotic, i would really like to see you when i eventually get back TO LA just to shoot the shit."
He continued, “Its been so long since we saw each other, where have are you living these days, because the last thing i heard was you were living in Las Vegas."
The text further read, "How did the gig for you on Saturday i really hope you had fun anyway i will text you when i eventually get back to LA and we must hook up much love and respect OZZY.”
Ozzy Osbourne died despite efforts by air medics to save him for two hours
Tragically, Osbourne never made it back to Los Angeles. He died at his home in Valfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire.
Despite immediate action from air paramedics, who arrived via a red chopper around 10:30 am, after being airborne for 15 minutes, the medical team was unable to resuscitate him in an attempt that reportedly lasted two hours.
The helicopter, often used for emergencies like strokes and cardiac arrests, landed close to the Osbourne residence, after taking off from RAF Benson in Oxfordshire, some 27 miles from the mansion, as per the Daily Mail.
Local residents suspected "something serious" was taking place when they heard a helicopter hovering above the quiet town.
The air ambulance was seen taking off again at around 12.30 pm. "We immediately feared it may be for him as he was known to be in fragile health," one resident said.
"When we heard later that night that he had died it confirmed our worst fears," the resident added.
The cause of death has not yet been made public, though Osbourne had long battled Parkinson’s disease and other health complications.
