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Richard Simmons, the celebrated fitness guru, died on July 13, 2024, at the age of 76, TMZ reported. On the day of his death, a post was made to his X (Twitter) and Facebook accounts that one follower called “haunting.”
The Los Angeles Police Department said that Simmons appeared to have died from natural causes and no foul play is suspected, ABC News reported. Simmons had a fall the night before his death, which might have been connected, TMZ reported.
Simmons’ official Facebook account (which is verified with a blue checkmark) and his X account (formerly known as Twitter) both posted a photo on the day of his death with the caption: “Hello gorgeous! Please don’t rain on my parade.”
One person replied on X, writing: “Umm, this is haunting if this post was shortly before you passed. Rest in peace :(.”
Simmons’ Last Social Media Posts Came Just Hours Before His Death
Simmons’ X post was timestamped at 9:53 a.m. Central time on July 13. According to Facebook, the timestamp was around the same time, at about 10 a.m. Central time.
Others also commented on the timing of the post, with one person writing: “Yikes! 5 hrs. ago posting messages & gone just like that. You seriously never know.”
TMZ reported that Simmons’ housekeeper found him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Simmons died at his home in Los Angeles, Variety reported.
Police and fire responded to the call just before 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 13, TMZ reported. Los Angeles is in the Pacific time zone, and 10 a.m. Pacific time would be 12 p.m. Central time. Based on the timestamps of his social media posts, his last posts may have been made just a couple of hours before the time that, according to TMZ, he died.
Simmons was not active on Instagram.
His last Instagram post was made in January 2014.
The post read: “I’m at @YouTube Space #LA today for a live event with Covered California. Tune in! #getcovered #behealthy.”
Simmons Thanked His Followers the Day Before His Death: ‘I Never Got So Many Messages About My Birthday in My Life!’
Richard Simmons’ birthday was on July 12, the day before his death. On both X and Facebook, he had made multiple posts about his birthday that day.
On July 12, he posted on X (and 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.”
He made more posts about his birthday on July 12, including a 17-part message that began with: “The celebration of Birthdays. Birthday cakes and candles were created by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. Later on someone said let’s bring gifts to the birthday person…that was a good idea. 1/17.”
Simmons Scared Fans 3 Months Earlier When He Posted That He Was ‘Dying’
Four months before his death, Simmons scared fans when he wrote on Facebook that he was dying, ABC News reported.
His post read, according to ABC News: “I have some news to tell you. Please don’t be sad. I am …. dying. Oh I can see your faces now. The truth is we all are dying. Every day we live we are getting closer to our death.”
Later he wrote another message apologizing to his fans for scaring them.
“Sorry many of you have gotten upset about my message today. Even the press has gotten in touch with me. I am not dying,” he wrote on March 18.
Simmons was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, TMZ reported. He made numerous fitness tapes and DVDs during his career and was also in 72 episodes of “General Hospital.” His energy and personality attracted fans. TMZ reported that even as recently as May, he was making 15 to 20 calls a day to struggling fans to encourage them, and sending hundreds of emails a day.
Simmons is survived by a brother, Variety reported.
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