Dear Sharon,

I’ve started and stopped writing this letter countless times, not quite knowing how to put into words the immense sorrow I feel for you and your family. Please accept my deepest condolences for the heartbreaking loss of Ozzy – your husband, your rock, your other half. Though we’ve never met I’ve admired you, your strength, your resilience in the face of your own ill health, your tenacity, and your unwavering devotion to Ozzy from afar for decades.

On 30 July, I watched Ozzy’s funeral procession through the streets of Birmingham at home on my TV with tears streaming down my face. Like so many others, I couldn’t be there in person, but I was there in spirit mourning not just a musical icon, but a man whose voice was the soundtrack to my life.

Ozzy was, and is, more than the Prince of Darkness. He was a symbol of defiance, vulnerability, chaos and love. He gave a voice to so many of us who never quite fit in. He spoke to the broken, the misunderstood, the outcasts and in doing so, helped us make sense of our own pain and lives.

Sharon, seeing you at his procession – dignified, but visibly shattered – broke my heart. You and your children Jack, Kelly and Aimee have lost the heart of your family. The world has lost a legend, but you’ve lost your world.

Right now you will feel like you will never survive the grief you are going through. Believe me I know, because I thought I would never survive the loss of my much loved and wanted only son Francesco “Frankie” Enrico Ventura. But somehow, I found the strength to channel my grief into creating Frankie’s Legacy to keep his memory alive. It was so hard, but I knew I had to keep going and honour my son as best I could.

One moment that has always stayed with me is how John Lydon from The Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd coped with the passing of his beloved wife Nora. In the depths of his pain, he found a way to honour her through vulnerability, creativity, and connection. When he went on tour with “An Evening with John Lydon” I had the honour of being there when he came to Worcester and I got to meet him in person. It was raw, real, and healing for both him and those who came to see him. He turned grief into a light that guided others through theirs.

In time and ONLY when you are ready, I hope you too may find a path like that. One where you can share your truth, your love story with Ozzy, and keep his legacy alive not as a public duty, but as a form of healing. If you did decide to do something like what John Lydon did, the proceeds could honour Ozzy by going to the charities that benefitted from his final Villa Park performance. The world would be privileged to hear your voice in that way, and I know Ozzy would be so proud of you.

Please know that you’re not alone. Millions of us are grieving with you, sending love and strength to you and your family every day. And among them is me, a lifelong fan who never met Ozzy, but who felt like she knew him, because he helped carry her through the darkest chapters of her life.

With all my love and respect,

Lisa Ventura MBE FCIIS
AKA CyberGeek Girl