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Richard Simmons is clearing the air after he had thousands of fans concerned that he was dying. On Monday, he shared a Facebook post that opened with, “I have some news to tell you. Please don’t be sad. I am … dying. Oh, I can see your faces now.”
Simmons must have had the delivery in his head that sounded different online because it wasn’t clear if he was being serious. “The truth is we all are dying. Every day we live, we are getting closer to our death,” he continued. The fitness guru went on to offer advice on how to live life to the fullest. “Get up in the morning and look at the sky… count your blessings and enjoy,” he wrote.
The 75-year-old then offered healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner recommendations, and life tips. “There is something else very important that you must do. Tell the ones that you love that you love them. Hug those people and children who you really care for. A big hug really goes a long way,” he wrote. Simmons finished the message by recommending Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying.”
Five hours after the post, Simmons shared a follow-up post clarifying that he is not dying. “Sorry, many of you have gotten upset about my message today,” Simmons wrote. “Even the press has gotten in touch with me. I am not dying. It was a message about saying how we should embrace every day that we have. Sorry for this confusion.”
Where is Richard Simmons?
One of the reasons fans believed Simmons’ post is because his whereabouts and current state have sparked some confusion. Simmons has not been seen publicly since February 2014 when he spoke on the news about a healthy lifestyle.
In 2016, he called into the Today show to refute rumors that he was being held hostage by his housekeeper. “I am not kidnapped. I am just in my house right now,” he said. “No one should be worried about me. The people that surround me are wonderful people who take great care of me.”
Simmons’ Facebook page has shared posts over the years, but they’ve been from “staff members.” He shared his first post in six years in 2022 following the release of TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons.
The documentary claimed that he underwent a right knee replacement that left him in pain. Doctors allegedly told him he needed a left knee replacement, but he refused to do so after being too traumatized by the first operation.
After the doc, his longtime rep, Tom Estey, told The Post, “He is happy, healthy, and living the life he has chosen to live.” Simmons then wrote on Facebook, “Thank you, everyone, for your kindness and love. Love, Richard.”
Simmons will turn 76 on July 12 and has been much more active on Facebook this year. In January, when the Lewis Brother’s YouTube channel shared an official teaser for the short titled, The Court Jester, about Simmons, the personality took to his page to share his thoughts on the matter.
He’s since been sharing memories, personal stories, old music, and more, signed with “Richard” so fans know it’s him.