Ozzy Osbourne\u2019s longtime guitarist Zakk Wylde revealed the poignant final text message he received from the late metal icon after Black Sabbath\u2019s farewell concert.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe last text I got from Oz was saying, \u2018Zakky, sorry, it was like a madhouse back there. I didn\u2019t see you.\u2019 He goes, \u2018Thanks for everything,’\u201d Wylde told Guitar World<\/a> in an interview published Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was just us talking, saying, \u2018I love you, buddy.\u2019 That was it.\u201d<\/p>\n Longtime Black Sabbath guitarist Zakk Wylde shared the last text he got from Ozzy Osbourne before the rock icon\u2019s death. Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cIt was just us talking, saying, \u2018I love you, buddy.\u2019 That was it,\u201d Wylde told Guitar World in an interview published Tuesday. WireImage<\/p>\n Wylde divulged in the interview that he had expected to see Osbourne \u2014 who died on July 22<\/a> at age 76 \u2014 at some point following Black Sabbath\u2019s farewell concert in Birmingham, England, on July 5. But that never happened.<\/p>\n The guitarist \u2014 who joined Black Sabbath in 1987 \u2014 explained that he wanted to give the Prince of Darkness a reprieve from the chaos backstage after the show.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody and their mother were in the backstage dressing room and I just wanted to give him a break,\u201d\u00a0Wylde said, noting elsewhere in the interview that their priority was \u201cmaking sure that Oz was OK.\u201d<\/p>\n Wylde (seen here with Osbourne in 1989) joined Black Sabbath in 1987. Getty Images<\/p>\n The guitarist (seen here performing with Osbourne in 2007) texted with the late rocker for the final time following the band\u2019s July 5 farewell concert. WireImage<\/p>\n \u201cIt was definitely pretty amazing. Seeing Oz onstage<\/a> when Sabbath got done, that\u2019s the last time I saw him,\u201d Wylde recalled.<\/p>\n Wylde, 58, also shared how the Black Sabbath frontman was like family to him. <\/p>\n \u201cOz was just the best. I have my father, who was a World War II veteran; and then Ozzy, who was almost like an older brother,\u201d the guitarist told the outlet.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was almost a 20-year age gap between us. With our relationship, there was the fun drinking \u2013 but if I ever needed advice, I could talk to him.\u201d<\/p>\n Wylde said the Prince of Darkness was \u201calmost like an older brother\u201d to him. Redferns<\/p>\n The Black Sabbath frontman died July 22. Ozzy Osbourne\/Instagram<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\tStay one step ahead with all the exclusive tea on your favorite reality TV stars!\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for Virtual Reali-Tea with Danny and Evan, our must-read newsletter!\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\tThank for signing up!\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n The families were so close, in fact, that Osbourne was given a special title. <\/p>\n \u201cOzzy is the godfather of our oldest son,\u201d Wylde said. \u201cWhether I was playing with him or not, if\u00a0Sharon\u00a0called me and my wife up and said, \u2018Guys, can you watch the house while we\u2019re away on a business trip?\u2019 I\u2019d do it. It\u2019s like, \u2018If you need me to bring milk and eggs over, I\u2019ll do it.’\u201d<\/p>\n The legendary rocker died last week after battling Parkinson\u2019s disease<\/a> and the effects of a 2003 quad bike accident.<\/p>\n Family members announced the rocker\u2019s death in a statement. He was 76. Greg Draven\/X<\/p>\n \u201cHe was with his family and\u00a0surrounded by love,\u201d read the statement from his wife, Sharon Osbourne, and children (seen here at Ozzy\u2019s memorial on Wednesday). Anita Maric \/ SWNS<\/p>\n Ozzy\u2019s wife, Sharon Osbourne, and children announced his death in a statement obtained by Page Six.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was with his family and\u00a0surrounded by love<\/a>. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n