'I tried to stand but it was agony': Disabled fan's 170-mile journey to say emotional goodbye to Ozzy
Georgina Wager, an Ozzy Osbourne fan, travelled 170 miles to bid farewell, highlighting challenges faced by disabled fans.
Footage has emerged of the moment Black Sabbath fan Georgina Wager was left speechless and shaking after travelling 170 miles to watch Ozzy Osbourne's funeral cortege in Broad Street.
At first, she had the grim realisation that she couldn't see his coffin from her low-level mobility scooter.
But she refused to give up on the day entirely.
Mrs Wager battled through the crowds for more than half an hour to finally at least reach the barrier in front of the now world famous Black Sabbath Bench.
Suddenly seeing Ozzy's metallic visage on the flower-laden tribute is the moment when the emotional impact of the day confirmed to Lincoln-based Mrs Wager why she had made the overnight pilgrimage in the first place – all the way from a holiday in Bournemouth with husband Tony and their five-month-old Pug/Poodle cross, Sunder.
Asked at that moment what Ozzy meant to her, Georgina was literally unable to speak, her finger quivering over her mobile phone as she tried to capture the moment.
On her shaking left hand, the tattooed October 1981 date for 'Angel' in memory of a baby she'd lost exactly a year after Ozzy had launched his then Blizzard of Ozz solo career 1980.
Unable to walk because of a spinal condition, Mrs Wager said she hadn't been able to find a space to watch the cortege head down the packed Broad Street – even though Ozzy's own back problems meant he'd had to perform sitting down during the 'Back to the Beginning' mega concert with his original Sabbath bandmates at Villa Park on July 5.
Many other scooter users were also in Broad Street struggling to see while attempting to pay their respects to the man who tried to inspire people to be able to do ‘anything'.
The event organising team OPUS later said there had been some provision for scooter users next to Brindleyplace, but attempts to create an additional raised viewing area closer to the bench had not been possible.
The lack of available space in general meant the event was only made public the day before to try to limit the numbers visiting.
With thousands of people attending – some arriving as early as 6am – OPUS had tried their best to accommodate everyone and the day was generally seen to be a great success.
Once Georgina did get to the front to see the bench bedecked with tributes, her reaction fully explained why it seemed as if half the world wanted to witness the same moment, too.
"I had followed Ozzy all of my life,” said Georgina. "We stayed in the Travelodge, but to not be able to see the cortege properly was disappointing. I tried to stand up twice but was in agony – I’ll have to get some painkillers from Boots.
"It was the same in Bournemouth... I only wanted to feel my feet paddling in the sea, but it was impossible to get across the beach to be able to do that.
"If Ozzy can leave one legacy, I hope it will be as the Prince of Mobility Scooters and for everyone to try to do more to help disabled people to do what everyone else can do. Thank you, Ozzy – you really meant the world to me!”