Wayne Osmond, brother of Donny and Marie, died aged 73

Wayne Osmond, brother of Donny and Marie Osmond has died. He was 73.

One of the four members of the Osmond Brothers, Wayne died on New Year’s Day, his family confirmed in a statement to ABC news. KTVX.

Wayne’s brother Merrill Osmond, 71, told the local Utah outlet that the singer suffered a massive stroke.

After hearing the news, Merrill said he drove to the hospital and “was able to say (his) goodbye.”

“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 has touched the lives of many people around the world.”

“He wants 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.”

Wayne, the first of the Osmond siblings to pass away, was the second oldest of the original Osmond Brothers group and the fourth oldest of the nine Osmond children.

He was only six years old when he and his brothers Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay began singing as a barbershop quartet style 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 his “Andy Williams Show”.

The young Mormons presented a wholesome, clean image and also became teen idols at the time.

Wayne suffered from a number of health problems over the years. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1997. Although the treatment for the tumor was successful, the treatment left him nearly deaf.

In 2012 he suffered a stroke and was unable to play guitar after.

Some of Wayne’s siblings remembered their brother in posts on social media.

Jay Osmond, 69, wrote on Instagram“Throughout my life, I’ve always felt the most connected to Wayne out of all my siblings.”

He continued, “It is said that where there is great love, there is great sorrow when we part during our earthly journey.”

“What brings me joy is knowing that my brother Wings has earned his wings and I can only imagine the heights he is soaring right now.”

In a post on Facebookwrote Merrill, “My brother was a saint before he came into this world, and he will leave an even greater saint than he entered.”

“His departure from this earth will be a sad moment for some, but for those waiting for him on the other side, there will be a massive celebration beyond anything we can imagine.”

This is a development story.