Richard Simmons' brother has paid a heartfelt tribute to the beloved fitness guru after his passing.
Lenny Simmons expressed his sorrow on Richard 's social media, urging fans not to dwell in sadness but to celebrate the joy and love Richard brought into people's lives.
He said: "Hello Everyone, I don't want people to be sad about my brother. I want them to remember him for the genuine joy and love he brought to people's lives. He truly cared about people. He called, wrote, and emailed thousands of people throughout his career to offer help.
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"So don't be sad. Celebrate his life! He was very excited about all of the upcoming ventures he was working on. We are in shock. Please respect the family at this difficult time. Lenny Simmons."
Authorities were called to Richard's residence following a call from his housekeeper before 10 a.m. PST on Saturday. He was declared deceased at the scene, with no suspicion of foul play. It is believed that Richard had a fall in the bathroom prior to his death. ABC News received confirmation of his death from Richard's representative. The Mirror has reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department for further details.
The fitness icon celebrated his birthday on Friday, expressing gratitude for the outpouring of love from fans. He even tweeted hours before the news of his passing broke, saying on X, previously known as Twitter: "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."
Before his untimely death, Richard took a moment to reminisce about his past birthdays, including a touching tale about his very first one. He posted an adorable childhood photo and shared that his mother always bought cakes from various bakeries instead of baking them herself.
Recalling the time they filmed Groovin in the House, he mentioned: "That one was a three dimensional three foot cake in the shape of one of my Dalmatians ... You know I cried. So many of you have sent me birthday wishes on my Facebook and other platforms. I really appreciate that."
He also extended a heartfelt wish for his followers to have "healthy" birthdays in the future. This sentiment was typical of the beloved fitness guru, who gained fame with his exuberant personality and energetic workout videos, inspiring countless people to get moving and have fun while doing it.
On X, the platform previously known as Twitter, a fan shared: "Richard Simmons preached exercise, diet and most of all kindness. He positively impacted thousands and thousands of lives. I'm one of the hundreds and hundreds of TV people who basked in his energy and readily accepted those crazy hugs. Rest well." Another user posted: "Rest in peace Richard Simmons. Not only was he a beacon of body positivity, he was also responsible for one the funniest moments ever put on television."
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