Wayne Osmond, brother of Donny and Marie, dead at 73 after massive stroke: ‘We will miss him dearly’
Wayne Osmond, brother of Donny and Marie Osmond, has died. He was 73.
One of the founding members of the Osmond Brothers, Wayne died on New Year’s Day, his family confirmed in a statement to Utah ABC news affiliate KTVX.
Wayne’s brother Merrill Osmond, 71, said in a Facebook post that the singer had a massive stroke.
After learning the news, Merrill said he drove to the hospital and “was able to say my goodbyes.”
“Wayne Osmond, beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully last night surrounded by his loving wife and five children,” the Osmond family’s statement read.
“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,” the family added. “We love him and will miss him dearly.”
The first of the Osmond siblings to pass away, Wayne was the second-oldest of the original Osmond Brothers group and the fourth oldest of the nine Osmond children.
He was only 6 years old when he and his brothers Alan, Merrill and Jay began singing as a barbershop quartet-style act in Ogden, Utah, in 1958.
The Osmond Brothers rose to fame in the 1960s after performing at Disneyland and were spotted by the father of singer and TV host Andy Williams, who booked the group to appear on “The Andy Williams Show.” The band, which soon added brothers Jimmy and Donny and changed their band name to the Osmonds, continued to appear regularly on the show.
The young Mormons presented a wholesome, clean-cut image and soon became teen idols.
The Osmonds’ music peaked in popularity in 1971 when their single “One Bad Apple” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it stayed for five weeks.
Shortly after, the brothers went their separate ways to pursue solo careers. At the same time, Donny and Marie were beginning their own ascent to stardom.
In 1974, Wayne married Kathlyn White, who was the previous year’s Miss Utah. They had five children together.
Wayne suffered from a litany of health problems over the years. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1997. Though treatment for the tumor was successful, it left him nearly deaf.
In 2012, he had a stroke and was treated for cancer. He was unable to play the guitar after.
Some of Wayne’s siblings remembered their brother in posts on social media.
Jay, 69, wrote on Instagram, “Throughout my life I have always felt most connected to Wayne out of all of my siblings.”
He continued, “It is said that where there is great love there is great grief as we part during our earthly journey.”
“What gives me joy is to know that my brother Wings has earned his wings and I can only imagine the heights he is soaring right now.”
In a post on Facebook, Merrill wrote, “My brother was a saint before he came into this world, and he will leave as an even greater saint than he came in.”
“His departure from this earth will be a sad moment for some,” Merrill continued, “but for those who are waiting for him on the other side, there will be a massive celebration beyond anything we can imagine.”
Wayne Osmond, brother of Donny and Marie, dies at age 73
Wayne Osmond, a singer, guitarist and a founding member of the family act The Osmonds, has died. He was 73.
His brother, Donny Osmond, posted on social media: "My dear brother Wayne passed away peacefully last night from a stroke," adding he was grateful he got to visit him in the hospital before he passed.
"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," he said.
Wayne Osmond was an original member of The Osmonds, comprised of siblings Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay Osmond. Donny Osmond later joined and the group skyrocketed to fame in the 1970s.
Merrill Osmond posted on his Facebook page that Wayne died this week at a Salt Lake City hospital after suffering a "massive stroke." Wayne Osmond was the second oldest of nine children raised in a Mormon household in Ogden, Utah.
The Osmonds were known for such 1970s teen hits as "One Bad Apple," "Yo-Yo" and "Down By the Lazy River."
Donny Osmond breaks silence on brother Wayne’s death: ‘We were fortunate’
Donny Osmond has addressed his older brother Wayne’s shocking death.
Wayne passed away on New Year’s Day after suffering a massive stroke, his family confirmed. He was 73.
Donny revealed that he was able to say goodbye to Wayne before he died.
“My dear brother Wayne passed away peacefully last night from a stroke. I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to visit him in the hospital before he passed,” the “Puppy Love” singer, 67, wrote in a tribute post on Thursday.
Reflecting on his late brother, Donny said, “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.”
He continued, “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.”
Donny is turning to his Mormon faith as he mourns the devastating loss.
“Even though we are separated in this mortal life, I know that by the grace and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we will have the opportunity to be with Wayne for eternity,” he added.
The superstar ended his heartfelt message: “I love you, Wayne. Your brother forever.”
Donny wasn’t the only sibling who was able to see Wayne before he died.
Merrill Osmond, 71, said in a Facebook post that he drove to the hospital and “was able to say my goodbyes.”
The family initially confirmed his death in a statement to Utah ABC news affiliate KTVX.
“Wayne Osmond, beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully last night surrounded by his loving wife and five children,” the family’s message read. “His legacy of faith, music, love, and laughter have influenced the lives of many people around the world.”
They added, “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.”
Wayne is the first of the nine Osmond siblings to pass away.
Besides Donny and Merrill, Wayne’s siblings include Virl, 79; Tom, 77; Alan, 75; Jay, 69; Marie, 65, and Jimmy, 61.
He was also an original member of the Osmond Brothers group, which also included Alan, Merrill and Jay. They later added Jimmy and Donny to the band.
The brothers found success in 1971 with their single “One Bad Apple.” The song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and stayed there for five weeks.
The group later separated to pursue solo careers, with Donny and Marie teaming up and finding stardom together.
Wayne married former Miss Utah Kathlyn White in 1974. The pair had five children together.
The Osmonds Singer Wayne Osmond — Brother of Donny and Marie — Dies at 73
Wayne Osmond, who was an original member of the Osmonds singing group, has died. He was 73.
On Thursday, Jan. 2, Wayne's brothers Donny, Merrill and Jay confirmed the news in social media posts, revealing that he died on Jan. 1 in Salt Lake City after suffering a stroke.
"My dear brother Wayne passed away peacefully last night from a stroke. I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to visit him in the hospital before he passed," Donny, 67, wrote on Instagram. "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." "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," Donny added. "Even though we are separated in this mortal life, I know that by the grace and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we will have the opportunity to be with Wayne for eternity."
The "I'll Make a Man Out of You" singer concluded his post by writing, "I love you, Wayne. Your brother forever."
Meanwhile, Merrill wrote on Facebook that he immediately drove to the hospital when he heard of his brother's stroke to say goodbye. He then went on to praise his brother, calling him a "saint."
"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," Merrill, 71, wrote, adding that his death was a "sad moment."
"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 concluded. "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."
In his own Facebook tribute, Jay called his late brother "a true legend."
"My heart is deeply saddened for the loss of my brother Wayne. It is said that where there is great love there is great grief as we part during our earthly journey," Jay, 69, wrote. "Throughout my life I have always felt most connected to Wayne out of all of my siblings. He was my roommate and my confidant over the decades.”
A rep for Wayne did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Wayne, who was the fourth of nine kids, sang in a barbershop quartet with his older brother Alan and younger brothers Merrill and Jay. They first formed in 1958 for their Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints congregation in Ogden, Utah.
In 1961, the Osmond brothers were discovered singing at Disneyland and went on to become regulars on The Andy Williams Show. Brothers Donny and Jimmy eventually joined, as well as sister Marie. In 1971, the group reached the height of their fame after the release of "One Bad Apple." The song spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 100.
Shortly after, the band went their separate ways. Jimmy pursued a solo career, while Donny and Marie, 65, began singing as a duo.
Wayne married Kathlyn White, a former pageant queen, in 1974. They welcomed five children together.
Over the years, Wayne experienced a series of issues with his health. In 1997, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and lost nearly all of his hearing as a result of the treatment. Then, in 2012, he had a stroke that left him unable to play guitar.
Wayne opened up about his health in an interview with Coping With Cancer magazine in 2004 and said that illness made him appreciate life even more.
“The greatest part of all this is that I’ve become even closer with my sweetheart, Kathy,” Wayne said about his wife. “She’s an absolute angel. I’m a very, very blessed man. That’s what I am. … I’ve been enlightened. And now I look back at it and I think to myself, I’m glad that I got cancer. Isn’t that something? It really opened up my eyes. It made me realize that life really is important. And I’m only 52 years old — I hope I can go another 52!”
Donny Osmond's 5 Children: All About His Sons
Donny Osmond is famous for his incredible career as a singer and performer, but he’s also a dad to five boys: Donny Jr., Jeremy, Brandon, Chris and Josh.
He shares his five children with his wife of over 45 years, Debbie Osmond. The pair wed in 1978 and welcomed their first son one year later.
Despite his decades-long career, Donny has said that family always comes first. As he told PEOPLE, “That's what balances my life out. Family is the most important thing, because the curtain will come down eventually, and then what do you have?”
Here is everything to know about Donny Osmond’s five children.
Donny and Debbie welcomed their first son together, Donald Clark Osmond Jr., on July 31, 1979. As Donny Jr. has shared, he was born after his father’s heyday as a teen idol and, as a result, missed out on the more intense phases of his dad's career.
“I actually never saw the height of it all, like the crazed fans throwing themselves against the stage," he told The Spectrum in 2016. Donny's TV variety show Donny & Marie, in which he starred alongside his sister, ended six months before Donny Jr. was born.
In 2022, Donny Jr. told PEOPLE that family means everything to his dad.
“My father puts his family first, and he has unique ways of expressing it — like his orchard where each tree is dedicated to each one of his grandchildren," he said. "Next to entertaining, my father's greatest gift is to show love, and he does that in a big way.”
As an adult, Donny Jr. runs his own marketing firm, OzComm, though he’s moved into business marketing instead of entertainment.
Donny Jr. married his wife Jessica in 2010, and the two have four children together. Their youngest was born on Dec. 29, 2020.
Donny and Debbie welcomed their second child together, Jeremy Osmond, on June 8, 1981. In 2001, Donny opened up to The Guardian about his relationship with Jeremy and revealed that his second child went through a bit of a rebellious phase as a teen.
According to the outlet, in addition to reportedly piercing his tongue and eyebrow, Jeremy dyed his hair with leopard spots, left the Mormon faith and church he was raised in and did not speak to his family for four years.
“I think a lot of the rebellion came from the fact that he was my son — you know, this whole Osmond thing. He couldn't stand the whole Osmond image," Donny said. "When you are forced to be a certain thing, that's why you want to rebel: 'I don't want to be pigeonholed, I don't want to be just another Mormon Osmond,' you know.”
Jeremy later reconnected with his family and even went on a mission to Italy in 2001. He married Melisa Osmond the following year, and the two have three children together.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Jeremy is a physical therapist who previously owned his own practice. He is currently the executive director at Pointe Meadows Health and Rehabilitation.
Donny and Debbie's third son Brandon was born on Jan. 29, 1985. As an adult, Brandon is part of a design agency in Provo, Utah, and also owns his own company. Like his father, Brandon has a passion for music and performing, though, in a 2022 interview with Salt Lake City’s Fox13, he clarified that he mostly does so just for fun.
Brandon also spoke about the unique experience of growing up with a famous figure as a father. "There was one moment in my life where Donny Osmond and my dad crossed paths in my house. And it was really hard for me, because I had separated the two," he told the outlet, recalling witnessing a call his dad received shortly after his grandfather, George Osmond, died in 2007.
"So he picks up the phone. And I hear this sweet high pitched voice. 'Hey, Donny, I just wanted to call and just tell you, I'm sorry about your dad.' And they have this conversation for maybe two or three minutes," Brandon told Fox13. "He finishes it with 'Thanks, Michael. That means a lot to me.' And I realized that the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, just called my dad, my dad didn't call him."
He continued, "And it was really weird for me because they clashed. Donny Osmond and my dad were now the same person, and it really wrecked me. It really was a hard thing for me to see.”
Brandon married his wife Shelby in 2008, and the pair have four sons.
Chris Osmond was born in Irvine, California, on Dec. 12, 1990. Chris expressed an interest in music and performing from an early age, largely inspired by his father’s career and success around the world.
According to his website, he took piano lessons as a child and DJ'd as a teen. He later studied post-production audio engineering in college before taking a job at Disney in Burbank, California.
In a 2022 interview with Fox13, Chris spoke about what it was like to be a part of a famous family, saying, "For us, we’re very fortunate to have that name. And to have an influence in this world for good. But ... we still have to be super creative."
Chris later appeared in season two of Claim to Fame, where he stumped contestants as they tried to guess his celebrity relative. Chris told PEOPLE that his dad was "laughing through" all the wrong guesses, which included everyone from Elvis Presley to Elton John.
In August 2023, Donny told PEOPLE that he thinks the clear generational gap played to the show's advantage. "I think he's making the show interesting because they [couldn’t] figure out who he is,” the legendary singer said.
"This dynamic of having Chris on the show, that's what's making it exciting because the older generation, they know exactly what it is," Donny added. "And the younger kids, they have no idea."
As for his own music career, Chris has released three singles. He currently lives in Utah with his wife Alta, whom he wed in 2017. The couple welcomed their daughter, Aussie, in December 2020, and their son, Dune, in June 2023.
Donny and Debbie's fifth son Joshua was born on Feb. 16, 1998.
In 2018, Donny shared on Instagram that Joshua had spent the previous two years serving as a missionary for the Church of Latter-day Saints in Rome, Italy.
“A wonderful reunion in Rome! 🇮🇹 After two years of valiantly serving as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Italy, our son Josh will return home with us for a reunion with the entire family," he wrote. "What a birthday! What a Christmas.”
Over two years later, Josh married his wife Summer. After having to cancel their original wedding plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the couple wed during an intimate ceremony at his family's home.
Following their nuptials, Josh told Closer Weekly that their wedding “turned out perfect” despite the change of plans. “It made the whole day more personal and special. The wedding turned out more beautiful than we could have even imagined. It was such a fun celebration of this new step we’re taking in life.”
