Wayne Osmond dead at 73: The Osmonds legend passes away peacefully as family pay tribute

Wayne Osmond has died from a stroke at the age of 73.

The Osmonds legend's passing on New Year's Day was confirmed by his family in an emotional statement to KTVX.

'Wayne Osmond, beloved husband and father, passed away peacefully last night surrounded by his loving wife and five children,' the family's statement obtained by local ABC affiliate KTVX 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. We love him and will miss him dearly.'

Merrill Osmond shared that his brother 'had a massive stroke.' He said upon hearing the news he immediately drove to the hospital and 'was able to say [his] goodbyes.' 

His famous siblings include Marie Osmond and Donny Osmond of the 1970s variety show Donny & Marie.

The Utah native was the second-oldest of the original Osmond Brothers singers and the fourth oldest of the nine Osmond children.

Wayne is the first of the Osmond siblings to pass away. 

His siblings include singer and TV star Marie Osmond as well as famed singer Donny Osmond.

Donny and Marie were world famous for their 1970s variety show that was the top show of its day and included guests such as Cher and Olivia Newton-John. 

Both Donny and Marie also competed on Dancing With The Stars.

Wayne and his family started singing at a young age and came to fame in the 1960s when performing at Disneyland.

That led to several appearances on the popular variety show The Andy Williams show. The Mormon family became known for being close knit and wholesome.

The boys also became teen idols. 

Wayne worked with his siblings in Las Vegas, where they had a show, and also reunited often for birthdays.

The crooner had a history of health problems. 

In 1997, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, which was successfully treated, but he lost his hearing.

The treatment damaged his cochlea, leaving Wayne nearly deaf. A stroke in 2012 left him unable to play guitar. 

Wayne told Coping magazine how his health went downhill while touring with his brothers in 1994: 'One day when I was working in Branson, I noticed I couldn’t play my saxophone anymore because my head would start throbbing.

'And my knees would fall out from under me when I was on stage. This all began happening within a week.'

That was when Wayne was diagnosed with ependymoma cancer and endured a 17-hour surgery to remove a tumour, followed by weeks of radiation therapy before he was allowed to return to the stage.

Wayne had five children with his wife Kathlyn Louise White, according to IMDb.

Several of Wayne Osmond's siblings have taken to social media to pay tribute to him.

Jay Osmond said throughout his life he has 'always felt the most connected to Wayne out of all of my siblings.'

He added: '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.

'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.'

Merrill added, '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, but for those who are waiting for him on the other side, there will be a massive celebration beyond anything we can imagine.'

Wayne’s daughter Amy Cook also took to Facebook to announce her father’s death, calling him a 'beloved husband and father.'

She said he had 'passed away peacefully' surrounded by 'his loving wife and five children.'