Wayne Osmond, founding member of the Osmond Brothers, passed away on New Year’s Day from a major stroke at the age of 73. Osmond’s family took to social media to break the news, explaining that he was surrounded by loved ones at the time of his death while insinuating that his faith in Jesus Christ had secured his place in eternity.
Wayne’s daughter, Amy Osmond Cook, wrote on Facebook, “Wayne Osmond, beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully last night surrounded by his loving wife and five children. His legacy of faith, music, love, and laughter have influenced the lives of many people around the world. He would want everyone to know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true, that families are forever, and that banana splits are the best dessert. We love him and will miss him dearly.”
She continued, “I am having a hard time expressing the depth of my sadness that I won’t have my “twin” in my life for a while. But I am so grateful for the time I was able to spend with him. I am grateful for the incredible memories. I am grateful for his strength, loyalty to our family, incredible talent and energy, and most of all, his love. I look forward to the day when I can see him again on the other side. I love you, Dad.”
Similarly, Wayne’s brother, Merrill Osmond, confirmed earlier this week, that the cause of death was a stroke. “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. I immediately drove to the hospital in SLC to see him and I was able to say my goodbyes,” he said.
Merrill further praised his brother for his actions in this life. “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 noted. “I’ve never known a man that had more humility. A man with absolute[ly] no guile. An individual that was quick to forgive and had the ability to show unconditional love to everyone he ever met.”
However, Merrill explained that an eternal view is crucial and that there is more than just this temporal life. “His departure from this earth will be a sad moment for some, but for those who are waiting for him on the other side, there will be a massive celebration beyond anything we can imagine. My brother Wayne endured much. He gave it his all. His legacy will go down as someone who was not only a genius in his ability to write music, but was able to capture the hearts of millions of people and bring them closer to God,” he continued.
“I will miss him tremendously. 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,” Merrill concluded, sharing a couple photographs of his brother performing on stage. One appeared to have ben taken in the 1970s with the other being much more recent.
Featured image credit: MGM Records, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Osmonds_1971.JPG
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