The famed singing group The Osmonds are mourning the loss of sibling Wayne Osmond after his death at 73 on New Year’s Day, according to brother Donny Osmond.
Donny Osmond, 67, paid tribute to his brother in an Instagram post on Jan. 2 announcing Wayne’s death. He revealed Wayne Osmond’s cause of death was a stroke.
“Wayne brought so much light, laughter, and love to everyone who knew him, especially me. He was the ultimate optimist and was loved by everyone,” Donny Osmond wrote. “I’m sure I speak on behalf of every one of us siblings when I state that we were fortunate to have Wayne as a brother.”
Wayne was one of nine children of Olive and George Osmond. He sang and played lead guitar in the groups The Osmond Brothers and The Osmonds for decades and performed with his siblings at a trio of sold-out reunion shows in Las Vegas in 2007.
Wayne’s brother Merrill, 71, also mourned his loss in a Facebook post.
“My brother was a saint before he came into this world, and he will leave as an even greater saint than he came in,” he wrote. “I’ve never known a man that had more humility. A man with absolute no guile. An individual that was quick to forgive and had the ability to show unconditional love to everyone he ever met.
“I will miss him tremendously,” he continued. “I am so grateful to have grown up with one of heavenly father’s greatest sons. Until I see him again, know that he was loved.”
Wayne Osmond’s cause of death
Wayne Osmond died of a stroke, according to Donny Osmond’s Instagram announcement.
“My dear brother Wayne passed away peacefully last night from a stroke,” Donny wrote. “I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to visit him in the hospital before he passed.”
His brother Merrill Osmond also wrote that the cause of death was a stroke.
Jay Osmond, Jimmy Osmond and Wayne Osmond of The Osmonds perform in 2011 in Miami Beach, Fla.Larry Marano / FilmMagic
“When I learned that my dear brother Wayne had a massive stroke my immediate response was to fall to my knees and pray for him to receive the assurance that his mission had been accomplished, and he was successful in this endeavor in many ways,” Merrill wrote on Facebook. “I immediately drove to the hospital in SLC to see him and I was able to say my goodbyes.”
Stroke symptoms
A stroke occurs when your brain does not have proper blood flow, usually due to a blocked artery or bleeding in the brain, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Brain cells die from a lack of oxygen during a stroke, which can lead to death. Two-thirds of them occur in people over 65, per the Cleveland Clinic.
Experts advise to act quickly to identify if someone is having a stroke by checking to see if they have a loss of balance, double vision, a droop on one or both sides of their face, or an inability to speak or raise their arms.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms of a stroke can include the following:
- One-sided weakness or paralysis
- Difficulty with speaking
- Slurred or garbled speech
- Loss of muscle control on one side of your face
- Sudden loss of vision, hearing, smell, taste and/or touch
- Blurred or double vision
- Loss of coordination or clumsiness
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Nausea and vomiting
- Neck stiffness
- Emotional instability and personality changes
- Confusion or agitation
- Seizures
- Memory loss
- Sudden and severe headaches
- Passing out or fainting
- Coma
How old was Wayne Osmond?
Wayne Osmond was 73 years old at the time of his death. He was the fourth-oldest of the nine Osmond siblings.
The oldest is Virl Osmond, 79, followed by Tom Osmond, 77, neither of whom was part of the singing group.
Alan Osmond, 75, is the oldest living member of the performers. The other Osmonds include Merrill, 71; Jay, 69; Donny, 67; Marie, 65; and Jimmy, 61.
Jimmy Osmond survived a stroke in 2018 after a performance in England.
