Although original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward may be estranged from the pioneering heavy metal band, Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi definitely still cares about his former bandmate. Yesterday, we reported that Ward had successfully undergone surgery for diverticulitis. In response to the news, Iommi wished Ward the best via the guitarist's official website.

Nearly two years ago, Black Sabbath announced the reunion of their original lineup. The group was set to write a new album and embark on a world tour in 2012, but apparent contractual issues caused Bill Ward to walk out on the band after months of messy and failed negotiations. During the failed contract dispute, Tony Iommi was diagnosed with lymphoma, delaying Black Sabbath's world tour for another year. Despite his cancer battle, Iommi continued to write for Black Sabbath's 19th studio album, '13,' which was released in June.

Bill Ward is reportedly doing well after his diverticulitis surgery and is expected to fully recover over the next few weeks. Yesterday, (Oct. 15) Tony Iommi posted the following "get well" message for Ward:

Dear Bill,

Sorry to hear you've been unwell hope you make a speedy recovery.

Best wishes,

Tony

This message marks the first instance of public communication between the two, as the entirety of Black Sabbath's current lineup has been fairly private about the details of Ward's departure, save for some revealing comments by Ozzy Osbourne. There's no telling if this simple message will spark any sort of reconciliation, but there's no doubt that Black Sabbath fans would love to see the reunion of the band's original lineup.

Black Sabbath are currently set to close out their 2013 tour dates with gigs in South America, Mexico and Europe.

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