Editing Richard Simmons (section)

== Illness and death ==

===Health===
In March 2024, Simmons issued a statement clarifying that he was not dying after a Facebook post he wrote encouraging people to "embrace every day" drew public concern. He also stated that he no longer had a manager or publicist, and that he had not given permission for a biopic of him.<ref>{{cite web | last=Bernabe | first=Angeline Jane | title=Richard Simmons apologizes for cryptic Facebook message: 'I am not dying' | website=ABC News | date=March 19, 2024 | url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/richard-simmons-apologizes-cryptic-facebook-message-dying/story?id=108260630 | access-date=March 19, 2024 | archive-date=March 19, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240319124002/https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/richard-simmons-apologizes-cryptic-facebook-message-dying/story?id=108260630 | url-status=live }}</ref> That same month, Simmons revealed that he had been diagnosed with [[skin cancer]], located underneath his right eye. Simmons later stated on his Twitter account that the cancer diagnosis occurred "so many years ago" and he decided to speak out about it to encourage people to go to the doctor if they see anything unusual on their body.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://people.com/richard-simmons-reveals-moment-he-was-told-you-have-cancer-8611516|title=Richard Simmons, 75, Reveals He Has Skin Cancer Days After Posting About Dying|magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |access-date=March 20, 2024|archive-date=March 20, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240320152943/https://people.com/richard-simmons-reveals-moment-he-was-told-you-have-cancer-8611516|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>Simmons, Richard (March 20, 2024). [https://twitter.com/theweightsaint/status/1770529752790479220?s=46 Post]. [[Twitter]].</ref>

===Death===
On July 13, 2024, Simmons died at his home in [[Los Angeles]] at the age of 76.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/13/arts/television/richard-simmons-dead.html|title=Richard Simmons, 'the Clown Prince of Fitness,' Dies at 76|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 13, 2024|accessdate=July 19, 2024}}</ref> He had suffered a fall at his home in his bathroom two days prior and refused to seek medical attention until the following morning out of a desire to spend his 76th birthday at home.<ref name="breakssilence">{{cite magazine |last1=Sheeler |first1=Jason |title=Richard Simmons' Housekeeper of 35 Years Breaks Her Silence: 'He Died Happy' (Exclusive) |url=https://people.com/richard-simmons-housekeeper-of-35-years-breaks-her-silence-he-died-happy-8684764 |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |access-date=August 19, 2024}}</ref> He went to bed and the next day, he posted on social media that he never got so many birthday wishes. He was found by his long-time house manager Teresa Reveles the next day.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://people.com/richard-simmons-death-no-foul-played-involved-bathroom-fall-8680569|title=Richard Simmons' Death Involved No Foul Play: Source|magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]]|accessdate=July 19, 2024|date=July 18, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/why-did-fitness-guru-richard-201527144.html|title=Why Did Fitness Guru Richard Simmons Turn Down Medical Attention After Bathroom Fall?|publisher=Yahoo|accessdate=July 19, 2024|date=July 15, 2024}}</ref> Police said that his death appeared to be from [[Manner of death|natural causes]], though the investigation is ongoing;<ref>{{cite web |date=July 13, 2024 |title=Richard Simmons, legendary fitness guru, dies at 76, representative confirms |url=https://abc7.com/post/richard-simmons-legendary-fitness-guru-dies-76-representative/15056821/ |access-date=July 13, 2024 |website=ABC7 Los Angeles |language=en |archive-date=July 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713210315/https://abc7.com/post/richard-simmons-legendary-fitness-guru-dies-76-representative/15056821/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Osborne |first=Mark |date=July 13, 2024 |title=Fitness guru Richard Simmons dead at 76 |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/fitness-guru-richard-simmons-dead-76/story?id=111912398 |access-date=July 13, 2024 |website=ABC News |language=en}}</ref> Reveles suspected that Simmons had suffered a heart attack in his sleep.<ref name="breakssilence" /> He was buried at [[Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary]], dressed in his trademark fitness outfit.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://people.com/richard-simmons-brother-reveals-fitness-guru-was-buried-in-workout-outfit-under-clothes-celebration-of-life-speech-8723914|title=Richard Simmons' Brother Reveals Fitness Guru Was Buried in Workout Outfit Beneath Clothes During Celebration of Life Speech|magazine=People.com|date=October 5, 2024}}</ref> On August 21, in a report given to Simmons' brother, the Los Angeles County Coroner's office confirmed that Simmons had died of complications of the previous day's fall, among others, and that heart disease was a contributing factor; no unprescribed drugs had been in his system when he died.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/richard-simmons-cause-of-death-accidental-brother-lenny-simmons-confirms-people-exclusive-8699276|title=Richard Simmons' Cause of Death at 76 Revealed by Fitness Guru's Brother Lenny|website=People.com|date=August 21, 2024}}</ref>

On July 20, one week after his death, Simmons' team shared what would be his final social media post, a paraphrase of lyrics from the song "[[Fly Me to the Moon]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/07/richard-simmons-team-shares-final-prepared-social-media-post-1236016764/|title=Richard Simmons' Team Shares His Final Prepared Social Media Post 1 Week After Death|first=Glenn|last=Garner|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=July 21, 2024|accessdate=July 22, 2024}}</ref> On October 5, a memorial mass for Simmons was held at [[St. Louis Cathedral (New Orleans)|St. Louis Cathedral]] in [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brasted |first1=Chelsea |last2=Wells |first2=Carlie |title=Richard Simmons memorial |url=https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2024/09/26/richard-simmons-memorial |website=axios.com/local/new-orleans |date=September 26, 2024 |publisher=Axios New Orleans |access-date=4 October 2024}}</ref>