Richard Simmons’ Body Was Covered With Abrasions, Other Injuries: Report

Getty Richard Simmons.

Fitness guru Richard Simmons had multiple abrasions and contusions on his body when he was discovered unresponsive on his bedroom floor, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s autopsy report, published by Radar Online, shows.

The site published full pages from the report on August 29, including the medical examiner’s diagram detailing where the injuries were discovered on Simmons’ body; the details in it were also reported by news outlets ranging from Fox News to USA Today.

Fox News also reported that Simmons, 76, who was found deceased in his bedroom on July 13, had prescription drugs in his system when he died.

“Toxicology studies performed on postmortem specimens revealed the presence of diphenhydramine, trazodone, and zolpidem,” Fox News Digital reported on August 29, noting that the medical examiner’s office does not believe those drugs contributed to Simmons’ cause of death.

Richard Simmons’ Cause of Death Was an Accident Due to ‘Blunt Traumatic Injuries,’ the Medical Examiner Says

Getty/HeavyRichard Simmons

In a press release on August 22, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner announced that the office had “determined the cause of death for the 76-year-old fitness instructor and television personality Milton Teagle ‘Richard’ Simmons as sequelae of blunt traumatic injuries. Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a contributing condition. The manner of death is accident.”

“It was reported Mr. Simmons experienced a fall on July 11 and spent the following day in bed. He was found unresponsive on his bedroom floor on the morning of July 13, and 9-1-1 was called. Death was determined at 0945 hours,” the press release said.

“The deputy medical examiner assigned to the case completed an examination on July 14 at the Department’s Forensic Science Center. The cause of death was certified on August 22,” the release notes. Heavy has requested a copy of the full autopsy report from the Medical Examiner’s office.

Among the injuries to Simmons’ body were a pink contusion on his lower chest and right arm, a purple contusion on his right arm, a contusion on his right hand, an abrasion on his elbow, and a contusion on his right forehead and lower chest, the report published by Radar Online shows.

He also had abrasions on his right calf and shin, his right foot, and his thigh, among other areas, the report says.

Richard Simmons Had an ‘Episode of Dizziness’ Before He Died, Reports Say

GettyTV Personality Richard Simmons.

The autopsy report published by Radar Online details how a caretaker found Simmons in his bedroom. She called 911 and attempted CPR. He was observed “in a supine position on the floor adjacent to his bed,” and was deceased. The narrative also details abrasions seen “to his head, right hand, left elbow and lower legs,” the report says.

A plastic bag with “loose pink oblong pills” was found in his bathroom, along with prescription medications prescribed to Simmons. His only known significant medical issues were his “gastrointestinal problems,” the report published by Radar Online says.

Parts of the report were blacked out. The report reveals that Simmons was a vegetarian. He had an “episode of dizziness after using the bathroom and collapsed on the floor” late in the evening on July 11, the report says.

It was not clear whether he struck his head, but he “spent several hours on the floor until he was found by his caretaker,” the report says. The caretaker helped him get into bed, and he was “alert and responsive at the time but had difficulty with mobility,” the report says. He refused medical care because he wanted to spend his July 12 birthday at home, it notes.

His speech “seemed slurred” when he was visited by his secretary and he “spent the day in bed,” according to the report published by Radar Online.

The night before he died, Simmons “had requested to sleep in later than usual before seeking medical care the next day,” but when the caretaker went to check on him around 930 a.m., he was unresponsive on the bedroom floor, the report says. “Foul play is not suspected,” the report says.

Simmons’ brother, Lenny, commented to People Magazine on Simmons’ cause of death. “This morning, Richard Simmons’ brother Lenny, received a call from the LA Coroner’s office,” People reported on August 21 that Simmons’ brother said. “The Coroner informed Lenny that Richard’s death was accidental due to complications from recent falls and heart disease as a contributing factor. The toxicology report was negative other than the medication Richard had been prescribed. The Family wishes to thank everyone for their outpouring of love and support during this time of great loss.”