Legendary fitness guru Richard Simmons has died aged 76. The American star – real name Milton Teagle Simmons – was best known for his flamboyant personality and energetic workouts. Sadly, Simmons died on Saturday (July 12).
It is reported that police and fire responded to a call from his housekeeper just before 10am and pronounced him dead at the scene. Insiders added to TMZ : ‘No foul play is suspected at this time, and cops are looking into it as a natural death.’ Simmons celebrated his 76th birthday just yesterday and took to social media to thank fans for their well wishes.
He wrote on Facebook: ‘Thank you...
I 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. Love, Richard’.
The post received thousands of comments, a testament to the love felt around the world for the fitness personality, who rose to fame in the 1970s and 80s when he opened several gyms and created exercise videos . Expressing their sadness following the shock of his death, fans of Simmons penned heartfelt tributes. ‘Richard Simmons preached exercise, diet and most of all kindness.
He positively impacted thousands and thousands of lives. I’m one of the hundreds and hundreds of TV people who basked in his energy and readily accepted those crazy hugs. Rest well’, wrote RichardERoeper on X.
‘I feel like the world losing Richard Simmons means that we have officially entered the darkest timeline’, penned t.