Following reports that fitness icon Richard Simmons passed away one day after celebrating his 76th birthday, the possible cause of death has been revealed.
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According to The U.S. Sun, Los Angeles Police Department officials believe Simmons’ death may have been connected to a fall he had while in a bathroom of his residence the night.
Authorities arrived at Richard Simmons’ home after receiving a 911 call from the fitness guru’s housekeeper just before 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 13. He was declared dead at the scene.
No foul play is suspected at the time. Officials are investigating Simmons’ death as natural causes. Richard Simmons’ longtime publicist, Tom Estey, also confirmed his death. “The world has truly lost an angel,” Estey declared.
Richard Simmons, born Milton Teagle, was known for his flamboyant fitness tapes and DVDs. His rise to fame began in the 1980s.
Richard Simmons Disappeared From the Public Eye a Decade Before His Unexpected Death
After decades of fame, Simmons disappeared from the public eye in 2014. His rep at the time shared, “We were turning down stuff for years and just kind of quieting down, and when he decides that he wants to come back, that’s when he’ll come back, and when that will be, I have no idea or if he will at all.”
Years later, Richard Simmons resurfaced on social media. Months before his death, he scared fans when he announced he was “dying” but later explained that his remark was meant to be inspirational.
“Sorry many of you have gotten upset about my message today,” he wrote at the time. “Even the press has gotten in touch with me. I am not dying. It was a message about saying how we should embrace every day that we have. Sorry for this confusion. Love, Richard.”
Not long after, Richard Simmons said he had battled skin cancer, but was in remission and fine. He revealed that it took three treatments to get all of the cancer.. “With a smile on his face, [Dr. Massey] said, ‘We got all the cancer cells out.’ I gave him a hug. We are not done yet I have to stitch your face up. It took about 45 minutes and I was done. ‘I don’t want to see you back here again.’”
One day before his death, PEOPLE published an interview with Simmons, who said he was “grateful” to be alive and celebrating his 76th birthday. “I’ll spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is to help people.”
“But the candle will probably be on a zucchini,” Simmons added. “You know, I’m a vegetarian.”