Health Issues Marie Osmond's Brother Alan Dealt With Before His Tragic Death

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Alan Osmond, famous as a singer in his eponymous family band, has died at 76. In an April 21 press release (via Today), surviving members of the musical family, including Donny and Marie Osmond, said that their brother Alan "will be remembered as the leader of The Osmond family who helped shape the career of the performing family into a world-wide household name."

While Alan's exact cause of death has yet to be announced at the time of writing, the musician had lived with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for nearly 40 years. A neurological autoimmune disorder for which there is no cure, MS can severely affect a person's ability to control their movement and speech.

Alan was open about his health struggles throughout his life. His MS diagnosis came in 1987, leading him to mostly retire from touring and performing with his family. In 2024, Alan released his memoir, "Alan Osmond: One Way Ticket," which delved into both the triumphant and tragic details of the Osmond family, including his disease. Osmond was optimistic though, and he had a motto: "I may have MS but MS does not have me!" This clearly carried him through the ups and downs of his disease.

Optimism always played a big part in the transformation of the Osmond family over the years. Alan Osmond often recalled his mother's words of wisdom and the impact she had on him. "Our mother always said, 'positive mental attitude!' So, I said, 'I may have MS but MS does not have me!'" he told KSL TV in 2023. In a 2020 video with his brothers, Merrill and Justin Osmond, for their "Sound Advice" series, Alan opened up about just how far the positivity he learned from his mother was able to get him. "32½ years of having it, I'm still moving. And you gotta make it happen," he said.

In an April 21 Facebook post, Merrill Osmond spoke about seeing Alan days before his death. "We talked as brothers do, heart to heart. He was struggling, but when I shared a joke or two, he found the strength to chuckle ... and then he smiled," he recalled. This makes it clear that Alan's disease had gone to a different place toward the end of his life.

Nonetheless, Alan maintained his optimism and was able to be a helpful resource for others with the same diagnosis. As the family said in their aforementioned statement, "His positive outlook was an inspiration to many, and he donated much of his time speaking at MS events, encouraging individuals like himself on how to mentally and physically deal with the advancement and treatment of the disease."