Even in death, Ozzy Osbourne will never be far from his fans. After mourners left thousands of tributes to the late heavy metal legend on Black Sabbath Bridge in Ozzy’s native Birmingham, England following his death from a heart attack on July 22 at age 76, those flowers and keepsakes have been preserved and cataloged for posterity.
According to a video post from the Central Birmingham Business Improvement District, the items have all been methodically laid out on the floor of a giant warehouse to be sorted and tagged before they are shared with the Osbourne family. “After we carefully moved all items from the Black Sabbath Bridge and Navigation St Mural to a secret location, they have been sorted by our team ready to be sent to the Osbourne family. Thank you again to everyone who took the time to pay their respects,” read the caption to the video.
The accompanying clip shows row upon row of flower arrangements arrayed on the floor after BID workers carefully removed them from the bridge and packed them in plastic bins. “Every piece is being laid out individually, cataloged and treated with care,” reads an on-screen caption over footage of a workers in yellow vests carefully placing the bouquets on the floor in neat rows.
The video also features images of dozens of framed photos and drawings of Ozzy, handwritten notes, along with Black Sabbath T-shirts and rows of Aston Villa scarves and banners honoring Osbourne’s favorite football team, as well as dozens of stuffed bat plushies. “Our team has been working to respectfully sort the items, ensuring they’re preserved in the best possible condition,” a caption explains.
The team is creating a digital record of every tribute over the next few weeks that will eventually be sent to Osbourne’s family. In addition, all the flowers are being mulched and bagged, with the compost headed to Ozzy’s final resting place.
Osbourne’s funeral cortege paraded past the Black Sabbath Bridge during his July 30 funeral in Birmingham, just weeks after Ozzy’s final performance at the all-star Back to the Beginning charity concert. He was later laid to rest in a private ceremony for family and friends at the Osbourne family estate in Buckinghamshire.
Check out a video of the process here.
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