Fitness Icon Richard Simmons Sadly Passes Away at 76: Remembering a True Angel
Warning: This content mentions death.
Renowned fitness guru Richard Simmons has passed away at the age of 76. The beloved fitness icon, known for his appearances on shows like the Late Show With David Letterman and The Howard Stern Show, breathed his last on the day after his 76th birthday, which he reportedly celebrated at his Los Angeles home, as reported by USA Today.
Celebrated fitness guru Richard Simmons dies at 76
TMZ reported on Saturday, July 13, that law enforcement received a call from the housekeeper around 10 am PT with no signs of foul play. Tom Estey, a longtime publicist for Richard Simmons, confirmed his passing to People magazine. He expressed, “The world has truly lost an angel.”
Estey noted that Simmons’ passing was a significant loss. He once mentioned to People about Simmons, “He has saved millions of lives. For 40 years, he took care of everyone else but himself.”
Despite not appearing publicly since 2014, Simmons remained active on social media until Saturday morning. In one of his final posts, he mentioned receiving numerous birthday messages the day before, which coincided with his 76th birthday.
All about the life and legacy of Richard Simmons
On July 12, 1948, Milton Teagle ‘Richard’ Simmons was born to vaudeville performers and raised in New Orleans French Quarter. From a young age, Richard worked various odd jobs to support his family. By high school graduation, the overweight Richard weighed around two hundred seventy pounds and faced teasing from classmates.
Before this time, an anonymous letter warning about the dangers of obesity reached him. Resulting from unhealthy dieting, he lost one hundred twelve pounds within two months, leading to hospitalization.
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