Fitness icon Richard Simmons passed away due to complications from recent falls and heart disease, as confirmed by a family spokesperson on Wednesday. Tom Estey, the spokesperson, indicated that the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office had communicated the details of Simmons’ death to his brother, Lenny.
Toxicology reports indicated that Simmons had only been taking prescribed medications, according to Estey’s statement. The medical examiner’s office plans to release further information about the cause of death once the autopsy report is finalized, although no timeline was provided.
Simmons was discovered unresponsive in his home in the Hollywood Hills on July 13, the day after his 76th birthday, according to law enforcement sources.
He gained recognition for overcoming personal struggles with obesity, successfully reducing his weight from 268 pounds to 156, and dedicated his life to fighting obesity. In the early 1970s, Simmons found it challenging to locate gyms that catered to individuals who were not already fit.
In 1974, he opened his own gym, SLIMMONS, followed by a restaurant named Ruffage and an adjoining exercise studio, Anatomy Asylum, the next year. These ventures attracted a celebrity clientele, which in turn led to media exposure and heightened his own fame.
Simmons became a household name through various mass media initiatives, including “The Richard Simmons Show” on television and the popular fitness video series “Sweatin’ to the Oldies.”
On March 20, Simmons announced on social media that he had been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, but later updated that the condition had been treated successfully through three procedures with a specialist.