Richard Simmons reflected on his loss in his last interview before his death

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Just two days before his death, Richard Simmons spoke about the loss in his last interview. On Monday People published an interview with the late fitness guru, who died of apparent natural causes in Los Angeles on July 13.

During the interview, Simmons revealed that he had been working on turning the story of his life – his work on television and as a fitness guru, as well as his youth “selling chocolates in New Orleans” – into a Broadway show. He said that while working on it, he “wrote an audio” every week to give to songwriter Patrick Leonard.

“How do you deal with loss? It’s hard on the heart,” he said in the interview, apparently reading from his audio recording of the week. “Some people shed a lot of tears, others stare up at the sky. It’s so hard to say goodbye. I know when it’s time for us to go, beautiful angels will greet us with a smile and a hello.”

People Reporter Jason Sheeler responded that he and Simmons’ fans had “missed” him since he abruptly retired from public life in 2014.

“I know people miss me. And you know what? I miss them too,” Simmons replied. “But I can reach them by phone… and email. And sometimes I leave the house. But I’m in disguise.”

Sheeler recounted that during the interview, which took place the day before Simmons’ birthday, Simmons sang “Happy Birthday” to himself while imitating Marilyn Monroe. “I’ll always be the court jester,” he told the outlet, later adding, “I’ll always be fooling around… When the curtain goes up, I’m there to make people happy.”

According to TMZ, which was the first to report his death, Los Angeles police responded to his home on Saturday morning after a call from a housekeeper. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities do not suspect foul play and he appears to have died of natural causes.

Simmons dedicated his life to helping others get healthy through books and infomercials. In the 1970s and 1980s, he opened several fitness studios for people who wanted to get fit, including The Anatomy Asylum. His popular fitness tapes and DVDs – including his “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” series – featured him in his signature striped shorts and sparkly tank tops, and he provided fitness motivation with his exuberant personality.

In March 2024, he announced on Facebook that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer, later sharing that the cancer cells had been eradicated after a visit to the doctor. “Basal cell carcinoma, that was scary. But it never came back. So many people have cancer,” he said People“I call them and sing to them. ‘You will get through this. You just have to believe that.'”

The news of his health came just days after he wrote a post announcing his death, clarifying that everyone should “enjoy every day we have.” In his original post, he offered the same positive advice that he had dedicated his life to.

“Every day you live, you must move. Whether you are standing or sitting, you must move your body every day. Start with stretching, then cardio and strength training,” he wrote. “There is one more very important thing you must do. Tell the people you love that you love them. Hug the people and children you really care about. A big hug really goes a long way.”