Richard Simmons, the beloved fitness guru, has tragically passed away at the age of 76. The police were reportedly called to his home by his housekeeper before 10 a. m. PST on Saturday. He was pronounced dead at the scene with no suspicion of foul play.
It’s believed that Richard had a fall in the bathroom prior to his death. A representative for Richard confirmed the sad news to ABC News. The Mirror reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department for further comment.
Just a day before his death, Richard celebrated his birthday and expressed his gratitude to fans for their well wishes. In fact, he tweeted just hours before his untimely passing, writing on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Thank you…I never got so many messages about my birthday in my life! I am sitting here writing emails. Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday. Love, Richard.”
In the days leading up to his death, Richard took a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about his past birthdays. He shared a childhood photo of himself and revealed that his mother never baked their cakes, but instead bought them from various bakeries.
Richard also recalled filming Groovin in the House on one of his birthdays, where he received a three-foot cake shaped like one of his Dalmatians. He said: “That one was a three dimensional three foot cake in the shape of one of my Dalmatians … You know I cried. So many of you have sent me birthday wishes on my Facebook and other platforms. I really appreciate that.”
Additionally, he sent out a heartfelt wish for “healthy” birthdays to all his followers. This was totally in character for the fitness guru, famed for his energetic home workout videos. Richard gained fame with his exuberant personality and infectious enthusiasm, inspiring countless fans.
A social media user on X, previously known as Twitter, commented: “Richard Simmons preached exercise, diet and most of all kindness. He positively impacted thousands and thousands of lives. I’m one of the hundreds and hundreds of TV people who basked in his energy and readily accepted those crazy hugs. Rest well.”
Another shared: “Rest in peace Richard Simmons. Not only was he a beacon of body positivity, he was also responsible for one the funniest moments ever put on television.”