Richard Simmons, fitness icon and Hollywood friend, dies at 76
A man who changed the face of fitness and demonstrated that physical activity can be great fun, a friend to many Hollywood stars, has passed away at the age of 76.
Richard Simmons celebrated his 76th birthday last Friday. He died less than 24 hours after thanking his fans on social media for their birthday wishes.
"Thank you, I've never received this many birthday wishes! I'm just sitting here replying to emails. Have a wonderful rest of your Friday, everyone. I love you, Richard," were his last words posted online.
Hollywood got to know Simmons when he started achieving great success in the 70s and later in the 80s. As a teenager, he struggled with weight issues, weighing nearly 31 stones. When he regained control over his body and eating habits, he opened a fitness studio in Los Angeles. He won people over with his manner: almost childishly joyous and very energetic.
He released VHS tapes with exercises (over 20 million copies were sold), appeared on television, and befriended the biggest stars in Hollywood. He published several books, with the one titled "Never Say Diet" becoming a bestseller.
He appeared in many films and TV series, including "What Women Want" and "Arrested Development". He also lent his voice to animated films such as "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".
Richard Simmons' life philosophy
In March of this year, Simmons revealed that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer. In the same interview, he shared advice for everyone: "Enjoy life to the fullest every day. Wake up in the morning, look at the sky, think about how lucky you are, and enjoy it." And his dietary advice? "Have dessert from time to time," he advised.
On Saturday evening, the day after Richard's birthday, the police received a call from his housekeeper. Investigators on the scene pronounced the man dead, and no third party involvement was found.
