Richard Simmons' brother Lenny reveals fitness guru's cause of death at 76
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Richard Simmons’ brother Lenny has revealed the cause of fitness guru’s death.
Tom Estey, the family spokesperson shared on Wednesday, August 21, “This morning, Richard Simmons' brother Lenny, received a call from the LA Coroner's office. The Coroner informed Lenny that Richard's death was accidental due to complications from recent falls and heart disease as a contributing factor.”
He added, “The toxicology report was negative other than medication Richard had been prescribed. The Family wishes to thank everyone for their outpouring of love and support during this time of great loss.”
What did Richard Simmons say in his last interview?
Richard Simmons was found by his longtime housekeeper Teresa Reveles on July 13, just a day after he turned 76, reports People.
A few days before his death, the fitness guru shared his plans for his upcoming birthday, joking that he’ll blow out a candle, but "the candle will probably be on a zucchini. You know, I'm a vegetarian.”
Simmons added, "I feel good! I am grateful that I'm here, that I am alive for another day. I'll spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is to help people."
He told the outlet, “I never thought of myself as a celebrity. People don't know this, I'm really a shy person and a little bit of an introvert. But when that curtain goes up that's a different story. I'm there to make people happy.”
What did Lenny say about his brother Richard Simmons' death?
Earlier Lenny talked about his brother Richard Simmons’ passing away. "I don’t want people to be sad about my brother," he said.
"I want them to remember him for the genuine joy and love he brought to people’s lives," he further noted.
He continued, "He truly cared about people. He called, wrote and emailed thousands of people throughout his career to offer help. So don’t be sad," Lenny added. "Celebrate his life."
Housekeeper Reveles recently shared her theory on Simmons' death. Notably, she was the one who found Simmons' body that morning and noticed something unusual, claiming that his hands were clenched into fists, according to Perez Hilton.
Reveles believed this indicates he had a heart attack, explaining, "That’s why I know it was heart attack. I had a heart attack a few years ago, and my hands did the same."
Despite the tragedy, she tried to find a silver lining, noting that Simmons appeared "peaceful" when she found him and then expressed hope that he had "died happy."
