Fitness guru Richard Simmons’ cause of death has finally been revealed by his brother Lenny on Wednesday. Simmons passed away on July 13, the infamous date of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, as a result of “complications from recent falls and heart disease.” How tragic that a man who dedicated himself to exercising and eating right ended up still suffering from heart disease. That doesn’t mean he he was eating bad foods and no longer physically active. None of us know that for sure. Lots of people who take care of themselves end up with heart disease due to genetics.
Simmons’ brother Lenny stated that he was recently contacted by the Los Angeles County Coroner concerning his brother on Wednesday morning, according to Breitbart News.
Richard Simmons’ cause of death at 76 revealed by his brother Lenny https://t.co/IiREmEqcP0 pic.twitter.com/LzlOFvbzrL
— New York Post (@nypost) August 21, 2024
“The coroner informed Lenny that Richard’s death was accidental due to complications from recent falls and heart disease as a contributing factor,” family spokesperson Tom Estey told the media. “The toxicology report was negative other than medication Richard had been prescribed. The family wishes to thank everyone for their outpouring of love and support during this time of great loss.”
Teresa Reveles, Simmons’ housekeeper revealed that the fitness personality had a bad fall on July 11, which was two days before his death. She also stated that he refused to get medical treatment for the tumble he took. The housekeeper said Simmons said he wanted to wait until after July 12, his birthday, before going to the doctor, but at that point it was too late.
The 1980s icon had spent much of the last few years out of the public eye. Indeed, in 2023, when a biopic starring comedian Pauly Shore was released, Simmons admitted that he no longer had an agent or manager and was then “just trying to live a quiet life and be peaceful.” Reveles added that Simmons retired from teaching fitness classes because he was no longer able to “be himself” due to his deteriorating physical condition.
But Lenny hopes people will celebrate his brother’s life and legacy and not feel sad. “I don’t want people to be sad about my brother,” Lenny said. “I want them to remember him for the genuine joy and love he brought to people’s lives. He truly cared about people. He called, wrote and emailed thousands of people throughout his career to offer help.”
He finished his statement by saying, “So don’t be sad. Celebrate his life.”