Richard Simmons, renowned for inspiring overweight individuals to get active and adopt healthier eating habits, passed away on Saturday.
Simmons, famous for his vibrant tank tops and short shorts, brought boundless energy to television as the lively court jester of physical fitness. He turned 76 on Friday.
According to an email from Richard Simmons’ publicist Tom Estey to The Associated Press, the fitness guru passed away at his Los Angeles home. “We lost an Angel today – a true Angel,” Estey said.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that officers responded to a 911 call from Richard Simmons’ home on Belfast Drive and arrived at 9:57 a.m. on Saturday.
“Upon arrival, one rescue ambulance discovered a 76-year-old male who was pronounced deceased on-scene by firefighter/paramedics due to apparent natural causes.
“As a result, no hospital transport was necessary,” LAFD Captain Erik Scott said.
Just two days before his passing, Richard contemplated his aspirations for his legacy.
“I never thought of myself as a celebrity. People don’t know this – I’m really a shy person and a little bit of an introvert,” he told People.
“But when that curtain goes up that’s a different story. I’m there to make people happy.
“But the accolades I get from emails. I mean, today most probably, we’ll answer over 100 emails.
“And they’ll say, ‘I’m your No1 fan’, and I just write back, and I say, you know, ‘Don’t say that because I’m a human being just like you. And I know that you do good things, too.’”
Simmons’ brother, Lenny Simmons, confirmed the death in a statement.
“I don’t want people to be sad about my brother,” Lenny Simmons said. “I want them to remember him for the genuine joy and love he brought to people’s lives.”
“We are in shock,” Lenny added. “Please respect the family at this difficult time.”Tom Estey, Simmons’ longtime publicist, said in a statement, “Today the World lost an Angel.”
A day before his sudden passing, Simmons celebrated his 76th birthday and took to the social media to thank everyone for the birthday wishes.
“Thank you…I never got so many messages about my birthday in my life!” Simmons wrote. “I am sitting here writing emails. Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday.”
He signed the post “Love, Richard.”
Simmons, who grew up in New Orleans, battled weight issues from a young age, tipping the scales at nearly 200 pounds by age 15. By the time he graduated from high school, he weighed 268 pounds, as documented on his website.
From 1980 to 1984, he hosted the Richard Simmons Show that focused on personal health and fitness.
He also gained fame through his aerobic exercise videos, such as 1988’s Sweatin’ to the Oldies and its sequels in 1990 and 1991.
Simmons expanded his early success with frequent appearances on various TV shows, ranging from The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson to game shows like Match Game and The New Hollywood Squares. He became a staple of late-night television during the ’90s and 2000s, appearing on shows hosted by Jay Leno and David Letterman.
Throughout the years, Simmons sold millions of workout videos. He owned a Beverly Hills exercise studio and restaurant frequented by celebrities like Barbra Streisand and Paul Newman.
Following his recent withdrawal from public life, during which he disclosed a skin illness in March 2024, speculation about Simmons’ health and well-being had circulated. His death was initially reported by TMZ.
We are so very sorry for this loss. May he rest in peace.
A woman hid several boxes in her attic from her husband for 40 years
For forty years, a woman kept multiple boxes hidden from her husband in the attic.
The wife eventually gave in to the man’s urging and allowed him to open the boxes one day, but when she discovered what was inside, she was horrified and started crying.
Kris Bresnan, an American woman, withheld a secret from her spouse for forty years. It was finally time for her husband to discover what was inside all the boxes that had been kept in the attic for so long.
The two decided to take a vacation away from the bustle of busy New York City after falling in love in 1975, which is truly when the narrative of the boxes began.
When Kris’s husband Bill handed her a napkin during the holidays, she told him it was the finest thing that had ever happened to him and that he loved her. At the end, he wrote the symbol for infinity. That day, they were laughing and playing.
Bill has developed the habit of surprising his wife on a daily basis with a letter, a love note, or postcards that convey his emotions for Kris, the most cherished person in his life. He surprised his wife every day for forty years.
Unaware that Bill had been giving him notes and letters for forty years, Kris preserved them all and stashed them in the attic in no fewer than twenty-five large boxes.
When the couple celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, Kris told her husband the real reason she had forbidden him from going up to the attic to check inboxes.
He was unable to speak when he was told to look into the boxes. He had no idea that his wife would hide all those letters there and retain them for so long.
Unable to find the right way to express his gratitude for this amazing occurrence, the man broke down in tears and gave his wife a hug. That holiday, the two read aloud to each other the things Bill had said to Kris over the years in a private location. Meanwhile, they celebrated their 40th anniversary in style and relived priceless moments.
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