Eccentric fitness guru Richard Simmons, known for his unrelenting positivity, has died, according to his representative. Simmons just celebrated his 76th birthday on Friday.
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to his home after a 911 call from his housekeeper and found Simmons dead. Police sources said he appears to have died of natural causes, and no foul play is suspected. Simmons spooked fans three months ago when he posted on Facebook, “I am … dying. Oh I can see your faces now. The truth is we all are dying.” He later clarified it was meant to encourage everyone to “embrace every day that we have.”
Simmons has been out of the public eye lately, despite reports of a biopic about him. He criticized these reports, writing, “Don’t believe everything you read. I no longer have a manager or a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful.”
He posted about his birthday on Facebook a day before his death, writing, “Thank you…I never got so many messages about my birthday in my life!” He recently told fans he’d had skin cancer removed and encouraged them to “see your doctor and get a complete check-up.”
Born Milton Teagle Simmons in New Orleans on July 12, 1948, he was overweight as a child, leading to his weight loss journey and fitness career starting in the 1970s and ’80s. His gym, Slimmons, opened in Beverly Hills, and his “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” videos became hugely popular in the 1980s.
