Shannen Doherty and Richard Simmons’ Tragic Deaths: Inside Their Final Days

It was a back-to-back gut punch for fans. On the afternoon of July 13, news broke that beloved fitness guru Richard Simmons had died just one day after celebrating his 76th birthday. The next morning, actress Shannen Doherty’s publicist announced the star had passed away the previous day at age 53 following a nine-year battle with cancer. Touching tributes dominated social media. “She was courageous, passionate, determined and very loving and generous,” gushed Shannen’s former Beverly Hills, 90210 costar Jennie Garth. Holly Marie Combs, who starred with Shannen on Charmed, called her a “fierce fighter,” adding, “You taught me the meaning of family. You were and will be forevermore my sister.” Meanwhile, Richard’s longtime friend Jane Fonda honored him with a throwback photo and a sweet message reading, “He gave of himself, of his time, to make people happy. I hope he felt the love so many were sending him these last years.”

As loved ones and fans continue to mourn the monumental losses, new details are surfacing about Shannen and Richard’s deaths — including revelations about the final days of their lives.

Gone Too Soon

Shannen was determined to survive despite several setbacks after her initial 2015 breast cancer diagnosis. In 2023 she announced her stage IV cancer had spread to her brain (she underwent brain surgery that January) and later to her bones. According to her oncologist, Dr. Lawrence D. Piro, things took a “significant turn” in the few weeks prior to her death.

She began getting her affairs in order. During a January episode of her podcast “Let’s Be Clear,” Shannen revealed she wanted to be cremated and have her ashes spread in Malibu. The actress, who’d battled a bad-girl image, said she wanted her funeral to be a small, intimate affair. “There’s a lot of people that I think would show up that I don’t want there,” she said, adding, “I want my funeral to be like a lovefest.” An insider exclusively tells In Touch, “Shannen knew exactly how she wanted to go. She spelled everything out.”

On July 12, she finalized her divorce from ex Kurt Iswarienko. (She and the photographer split in April 2023 after 11 years of marriage amid her claims he’d been unfaithful.) “Shannen wanted closure,” says the source. Spousal support between the former couple was terminated, with Shannen being awarded ownership of her Malibu home. “Shannen wanted to cut all ties to Kurt,” the source explains. “It just wasn’t worth the trouble.”

She was surrounded by loved ones, including her German shepherd, Bowie, in her final hours. “She was very comfortable,” Dr. Piro told a news outlet. “It was somber and sad, but beautiful and loving,” he added, noting that the fiery actress never lost the will to live. “She wasn’t ready to leave because she loved life.”

All By Himself

Richard spent his last days at home alone with his longtime housekeeper Teresa Reveles. After shooting to fame in the 1980s with his spirited fitness videos, he spurned the spotlight over the past decade — on the rare occasions that he went out, he wore a disguise. “Richard never wanted to be a celebrity,” says a source of the self-described “shy introvert,” who had a recurring guest spot on the soap General Hospital among his many gigs, but had become a virtual recluse by the time of his death. On that morning, he was emailing fans and thanking his Facebook followers for their birthday wishes. “He’d distanced himself from a lot of friends,” adds the source. “The reason is still a mystery to them.”

Tragically, some feel his death could have been avoided. (The LAPD has confirmed they are conducting an investigation.) The Sweatin’ to the Oldies star had fallen in his bathroom July 12, but reportedly refused to seek medical attention because he didn’t want to leave the house. Teresa — who was accused of keeping Richard “hostage” by his former masseuse Mauro Oliveira in 2017 (Richard’s rep denied the allegation, and the source says “nothing could be further from the truth”) — found him unresponsive in his bedroom the next morning. “It’s a shame Richard didn’t get medical help after his fall,” says the source. “The feeling among his friends is he might be still alive if he had.”