10 Years Ago: Ozzy Osbourne Seriously Injured in Quad Bike Accident

In our new anniversary feature, we'll flashback to some of the big album releases in the history or rock and metal as well as major events that had an impact on the music world. Looking back on the week of Dec. 3-9, the biggest event came 10 years ago when Ozzy Osbourne was seriously injured in a quad bike accident.

On Dec. 8, 2003, Osbourne was rushed to the hospital and underwent emergency surgery after the quad bike hit a pothole on his Buckinghamshire estate and flipped over on top of him. The rocker arrived at the hospital with a broken collarbone, six broken ribs and an injured vertebra in his neck.

According to the Daily Mail, the singer underwent an operation to lift the collarbone, which was believed to have been resting on a major artery and interrupting blood flow to his arm. In addition, the initial statement revealed that surgeons had to stem "some bleeding into his lungs." Osbourne also suffered a concussion and received a metal plate in his shoulder to aid in his recovery. Though the injuries were significant, the statement revealed that Osbourne's life was not thought to be in danger.

Osbourne would later reveal in the Sunday Mirror that he had to be resuscitated twice and slipped in and out of a coma for eight days following the accident. "I could have died," stated Osbourne. "I am lucky to be here today and not paralyzed … I have lost at least 11 days of my life. It seems like one big nightmare. I'll never go near one of those damn bikes again. I've finally grown up. The bloody thing nearly killed me."

The singer discharged himself from the hospital on Christmas Eve and spent the holidays at home in the U.K. with family before attempting to return to the U.S. Osbourne would recover in rather speedy fashion, but did need to push back some tour dates to accommodate his healing.