Richard Simmons’ cause of death has been revealed to his brother after the fitness guru passed away at the age of 76.
Simmons’ brother, Lenny, received the final verdict from the Los Angeles coroner’s office, which told him the death was ruled “accidental due to complications from recent falls and heart disease as a contributing factor.”
“The toxicology report was negative except for the medication that Richard had been prescribed,” family spokesman Tom Estey said. People‘The family would like to thank everyone for their outpouring of love and support during this time of great loss.’
Simmons was found in his home by his longtime housekeeper on August 13, just one day after celebrating his 76th birthday.
Lenny previously told People that he didn’t want “people to be sad for my brother,” but rather “to remember him for the genuine joy and love that he brought to people’s lives.”
“He really cared about people. He called, wrote and emailed thousands of people throughout his career to offer 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 “accidental due to complications from recent falls and heart disease as a contributing factor.”
Simmons revealed in March that she had been diagnosed with skin cancer.
The day before, Richard celebrated his birthday on Facebook, writing to his followers: “Thank you… I’ve never received so many messages about my birthday in my life! I’m sitting here writing emails. Have a lovely rest of Friday. Love, Richard.”
Simmons also revealed his fun plans for celebrating his birthday in a very rare interview, telling People that his birthday candle would be stuck in a zucchini since he’s “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 268 pounds when he graduated from high school, according to his website.
Her own story of weight loss struggle, where she tried everything from fad diets to laxatives before settling on exercise and better lifestyle choices, inspired millions to do the same.
Simmons became a master of many media outlets, sharing his hard-earned weight-loss tips as host of the Emmy-winning daytime talk show “Richard Simmons Show” and as the author of best-selling books and the Deal-A-Meal diet plan.
He also opened exercise studios and starred in exercise videos, including the hit “Sweatin’ to the Oldies,” which became a cultural phenomenon.
“The toxicology report was negative except for the medication that Richard had been 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 aired on 200 stations in the United States, as well as in Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Japan and South America. Her first book, “Never Say Diet,” was a best-seller.
He was known for advising severely obese people, including Rosalie Bradford, who held the record for being the world’s heaviest woman, and Michael Hebranko, who credited Simmons with helping him lose 700 pounds.
After gaining a legion of fans with his infectious enthusiasm and positivity, Simmons stepped away from the spotlight in 2014.
Simmons revealed she was diagnosed with skin cancer in an emotional Facebook post in March after discovering a “strange-looking lump” under her right eye.
After calling a dermatologist, the fitness pioneer recalled feeling “a little nervous” after the doctor looked at the lump “through a magnifying mirror.”
“He told me I would have to scrape it off and put it under a microscope,” Simmons told her followers. “He came back about 20 minutes later and said the C word.”
After gaining a legion of fans with his infectious enthusiasm and positivity, Simmons stepped away from the spotlight in 2014.
She continued: “I asked him what kind of cancer he had and he said basal cell carcinoma. I told him to stop calling me names. He laughed.”
Simmons was then told she needed to go “to an oncologist right away.”
To treat the cancer, she said her doctor explained that she needed to “burn” her “skin to get rid of the cancer cells.”
“There was no anesthesia, just a little instrument,” the actor said. “When he started burning my skin, a tear fell down my cheek. You can’t cry while that’s happening, and he wiped the tear away. The burn really hurt my skin. It lasted about 30 minutes.”
After the procedure, she was told to come back in an hour and a half to see if they had “taken everything out.”
“After walking around the city, I came across some sad news,” she said. “I couldn’t get out all the things she had told me. My face burned again. This time it was worse than before… It was deeper. This time I didn’t cry, but I did grit my teeth.”
Simmons went on to reveal in a second post that “third time was the charm” and that they removed “all the cancer cells.”
“Before I left, he examined my arms, back, chest and legs. For a while I had a little Frankenstein under my right eye,” she continued. “He gave me some cream to put on, which I did religiously. Thanks to his excellent work I don’t have any scars.”
Simmons was found in his home by his longtime housekeeper on August 13, just one day after celebrating his 76th birthday.
The skin cancer announcement came just days after the Reclusive star sparked fears she was dying with a worrying social media post.
She posted on X and Facebook: ‘I have some news to tell you. Please don’t be sad. I’m… dying. The truth is, we’re all dying. Every day we live, we get closer to our death.
“Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to enjoy 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 post, Simmons apologized and said he was “sorry for the confusion.”
“I’m sorry so many of you were upset by my message today. Even the press has contacted me,” she wrote in a post on X. “I’m not dying.”
Simmons abruptly stopped making public appearances in 2014, and many of her fans expressed concerns about her well-being in the years that followed.
In 2022, Estey provided a statement to the New York Post saying he was “happy, healthy and living the life he had chosen to live.”