The cause of death of Richard Simmons has been revealed to his brother, after the fitness guru passed away at the age of 76.
Simmons’ brother, Lenny, was given the final verdict by the Los Angeles County Coroner, which ruled the death “accidental, involving complications from recent falls and heart disease.”
“The toxicology report was negative, except for the medication Richard was prescribed,” family spokesman Tom Estey said. People‘The family would like to thank everyone for all the love and support during this time of great loss.’
On August 13, Simmons was found in his home by his regular housekeeper, just one day after celebrating his 76th birthday.
Lenny had previously told People that he didn’t want “people to be sad about my brother,” but that he wanted to “remember him for the genuine joy and love that he brought into people’s lives.”
“He really cared about people. He called, wrote and emailed thousands of people throughout his career offering help,” Lenny said.
Simmons’ brother Lenny received the final verdict from the Los Angeles coroner’s office, which told him his brother’s death was ruled “an accident due to complications from recent falls and heart disease as a contributing factor.”
Simmons announced in March that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer.
He took to Facebook to celebrate his birthday the day before, writing to fans: ‘Thank you… I’ve never had so many birthday messages in my life! I’m sitting here writing emails. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your Friday. Love, Richard.’
Simmons also revealed his fun plans for celebrating his birthday in a rare interview, telling People that he’s going to put his birthday candle in a zucchini because he’s a “vegetarian.”
Reflecting on his 76th birthday, he added: “I feel good! I’m grateful to be here, to be alive another day. I’m going to spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is helping people.”
Simmons, who grew up in the French Quarter of New Orleans before settling in California, weighed 265 pounds when he graduated from high school, according to his website.
His own story of struggling with weight loss, trying everything from fad diets to laxatives before deciding to exercise and live a better lifestyle, has inspired millions of people to do the same.
Simmons became a master of many media formats, sharing his hard-won weight-loss tips as host of the Emmy-winning “Richard Simmons Show” and as the bestselling author of the Deal-A-Meal diet plan.
He also opened fitness studios and starred in fitness videos, including the hugely successful “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” line, which became a cultural phenomenon.
“The toxicology report was negative, except for the medication Richard was prescribed,” a family spokesperson told People. “The family would like to thank everyone for their outpouring of love and support during this time of great loss.”
Simmons’ daytime show was seen on 200 stations in the United States, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Japan and South America. His first book, Never Say Diet, was a bestseller.
He was known for counseling severely overweight people, including Rosalie Bradford, who holds the record for the world’s heaviest woman, and Michael Hebranko, who credited Simmons with helping him lose 700 pounds.
After winning over a fan base with his infectious enthusiasm and positivity, Simmons stepped back from the spotlight in 2014.
Simmons announced in an emotional Facebook post in March that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer after discovering a “strange-looking lump” under his right eye.
After calling a dermatologist, the fitness pioneer recalled feeling “a little nervous” as the doctor looked at the bump “through a magnifying mirror.”
“He told me he had to scrape it off and put it under a microscope,” Simmons told fans. “He comes back about 20 minutes later and says the C-word.”
After winning legions of fans with his infectious enthusiasm and positivity, Simmons stepped out of the spotlight in 2014
He continued, “I asked him what kind of cancer it was and he said, Basel Cell Carcinoma. I told him to stop calling me dirty names. He laughed.”
Simmons was then told to go “to a cancer doctor immediately.”
To treat the cancer, he said his doctor explained that he had to “burn his skin” to remove the cancer cells.
“There was no anesthesia, it was just a little instrument,” the actor explained. “When he started burning my skin, a tear fell down my cheek. You can’t cry during this, and he wiped my tear away. The burning really hurt my skin. It lasted about 30 minutes.”
After the procedure he was told to come back in an hour and a half to see if they had ‘got it all out’.
“After driving through town, I came back to some sad news,” he noted. “I didn’t get it all out. He burned my face again. This time it was worse than the last time… It was deeper. I didn’t cry this time, but I did grit my teeth.”
Simmons revealed in a second post that the “third time was the charm” and that they had “removed all the cancer cells.”
“Before I left, he checked my arms, my back, my chest, my legs. I had a little Frankenstein under my right eye for a while,” he continued. “He gave me some cream to put on it, which I faithfully did. Thanks to his good work, I have no scar.”
Simmons was found in his home by his regular housekeeper on August 13, just one day after celebrating his 76th birthday
The announcement of his skin cancer came just days after the reclusive star sparked fears of his death with a disturbing social media post.
He posted on X and Facebook: ‘I have news for you. Please don’t be sad. I am… dying. The truth is we are all dying. Every day we live we are closer to our death.
“Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to live your life to the fullest every day. Get up in the morning and look at the sky… count your blessings and enjoy.”
In a later message, Simmons apologized, saying he was “sorry for the confusion.”
“I’m sorry that many of you were upset by my post today. Even the press contacted me,” he wrote in a post on X. “I’m not dying.”
In 2014, Simmons abruptly stopped making public appearances, and many of his fans have been concerned about his well-being in the years since.
In 2022, Estey said in a statement to the New York Post that he was “happy, healthy and living the life he chose.”