Simmons died one day after celebrating his 76th birthday, as confirmed by his longtime publicist, Tom Estey

Richard Simmons has died at age 76, his longtime publicist, Tom Estey, confirmed. The professional fitness coach died at his Los Angeles home after his birthday. TMZ was first to report the news on Saturday, July 13, citing law enforcement. The outlet said no foul play was suspected, and that authorities responded to a call from a housekeeper at around 10 a.m. PT on Saturday.

“The world has truly lost an angel,” Estey said of Simmons.

The fitness guru—who had not been seen in public since 2014—posted on social media as recently as Saturday morning local time. He also let fans know the day before—on his 76th birthday—that he “never got so many messages about my birthday in my life.”

“I am sitting here writing emails. Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday,” he wrote on Friday, July 13, in one of his final posts.

Simmons most recently about his plans to celebrate his 76th birthday, in a story published on Friday. At the time, he said he planned to blow out a few candles for the occasion. “But the candle will probably be on a zucchini. You know, I’m a vegetarian,” he said, jokingly adding that he might try “maybe one Pepperidge Farm Milano cookie.”

Simmons added that he felt “good” to be turning 76. “I am grateful that I’m here, that I am alive for another day,” he said. “I’ll spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is to help people.”

Richard Simmons had humble beginnings. He was born Milton Teagle Simmons to vaudeville performer parents on July 12, 1948. He was raised in the French Quarter of New Orleans, where he held odd jobs—like selling pralines at the age of 8—to help his parents financially.

Simmons was an overweight child and often teased by his classmates because of his size. By the time he graduated high school, he was 270 lbs at 5’7″. It wasn’t until he received an anonymous note on his car windshield that read “Fat people die young; please don’t die” that he decided to lose weight. Unfortunately, his weight loss journey began with an unhealthy diet binge, causing him to lose 112 lbs in just two and a half months, which resulted in a hospital visit due to kidney malfunction.

When Simmons moved to Los Angeles in the 1970s, he decided to educate himself about nutrition to maintain a healthy weight. In 1975, he opened a health food store/exercise studio called Ruffage and Anatomy Asylum. The studio became popular with celebrities, and Simmons’ fame began to grow.

Over the next four decades, Simmons lived as a pop culture fitness icon. He released five bestselling books, produced over 50 workout videos, hosted weight loss cruises, taught classes at his Slimmons studio in Beverly Hills, and made numerous appearances on talk shows and speaking tours.

In early 2014, Simmons decided to retreat from public life. His last public appearance was in January of that year, and he taught his final class at Slimmons—closing the studio officially in November 2016. Initially, he said he was taking time off to recover from a knee injury but was never seen in public again.

In March 2016, Simmons called the Today show to assure everyone that he was in good health and not being held at home against his will, despite rumors. “I do what I want to do as I’ve always done,” he said then. “I’ve taught thousands of classes, and right now, I just want to take care of me. I don’t want to be traveling anymore—it has taken its toll on me.”

He added, “You haven’t seen the last of me. I’ll come back strong.”

In June 2016, he was hospitalized for dehydration but said he “felt great” afterward. He was also hospitalized in April 2017 for severe indigestion. His manager, Michael Catalano, confirmed the news at that time. Public interest in Simmons surged in February 2017 when he became the subject of the Missing Richard Simmons podcast. However, Simmons and his representative declined to participate, emphasizing that he had chosen to step away from public life, and people should respect that decision.

Even though he had retreated from public view, Simmons continued to live a calm and relaxed life at home with his longtime housekeeper, Teresa Reveles. His older brother Lenny, who stayed in touch with him, mentioned that Simmons was “doing exactly what he wants to do.” Lenny said, “Richard isn’t just sitting around doing nothing. He reads, watches TV, rests, and presumably exercises because he looks good. He loves cooking and has a lot of hummingbirds that he feeds.”

Speculation about Simmons’ return to the public eye rose after his manager’s company, Prominent Brand + Talent, announced on April 6, 2017, that they had secured exclusive worldwide rights to represent Simmons for merchandising, licensing, and endorsements. His manager, Catalano, hinted that Simmons might be directly involved in future projects.

In March 2024, Simmons shared on Facebook that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer after noticing a “bump under my right eye.” He revealed he had basal cell carcinoma, which was successfully removed. The post came days after another message about “embracing every day” had caused some confusion, leading people to believe he was very ill. Simmons later clarified, “Sorry for the confusion; I am not dying.”

Simmons will be remembered for his flamboyant personality and his lifelong dedication to helping others. His publicist Estey echoed this sentiment, saying, “This man is a world treasure. He has helped millions of people lose weight and saved countless lives. For 40 years, he took care of everyone else but himself.”