Fitness Guru Richard Simmons has died, according to his representative. He was 76 years old.
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to his home after a 911 call from his housekeeper and found Simmons dead, according to police sources. He appears to have died of natural causes, and no foul play is suspected, the sources said.
The eccentric, high-energy TV personality had just celebrated his 76th birthday.
He was born Milton Teagle Simmons in New Orleans on July 12, 1948, but adopted the name Richard while growing up.
Simmons often talked about being overweight as a child, which led to his weight loss journey and pursuit of a career in fitness starting in the 1970s and ’80s. His first foray into weight loss came with the opening of his gym, Slimmons, in Beverly Hills, California.
Simmons released 12 books in his life, starting with the bestseller “Never Say Diet,” released in 1980.
His line of fitness videos exploded in popularity in the 1980s, along with a nationwide fitness craze that included the growing popularity of aerobics and Jazzercise. His videos, including the “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” series, became some of the most popular of the era.
In March, Simmons posted a message on Facebook that had fans concerned about his condition. “I have some news to tell you. Please don’t be sad. I am… dying. Oh, I can see your faces now. The truth is we all are dying. Every day we live we are getting closer to our death.”
He later clarified that he was not actually dying but that the message was intended to encourage everyone to “embrace every day that we have.”
Simmons posted prolifically on social media, often several times a day. 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! I am sitting here writing emails. Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday.”
He told his fans in March that he’d had skin cancer removed from his face but was now doing well.
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