Lifestyle Health Fitness From the Spotlight to His Quiet Last Years: Remembering Richard Simmons' Life in Photos The fitness guru died on July 13, 2024, at 76 years old. Here, see highlights from the star's decades-long career By Johnny Dodd, Johnny Dodd Johnny Dodd is a senior writer at PEOPLE, who focuses on human interest, crime and sports stories. People Editorial Guidelines Liz McNeil, Liz McNeil Liz McNeil is an Editor at Large at PEOPLE, where she's worked for over 30 years. People Editorial Guidelines and Brendan Le Brendan Le Brendan Le is an Editorial Assistant at PEOPLE with three years of experience working as an editor and writer. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 15, 2024 01:30PM EDT RIchard Simmons. Photo: Getty News that Richard Simmons died only a day after his 76th birthday broke his fans' hearts across the nation. Simmons' longtime publicist Tom Estey confirmed to PEOPLE that the fitness guru died on July 13, 2024, in his Los Angeles home. "The world has truly lost an angel," Estey told PEOPLE of Simmons. The pop culture fitness icon rose to fame when he opened his health food store/exercise studio, Ruffage and Anatomy Asylum. The establishment became a hit with the A-list crowd, and Simmons spent the next four decades of his life as a cornerstone of wellness culture. He released five bestselling books, produced more than 50 workout videos and appeared on talk shows like Late Night with David Letterman. In 2014, however, Simmons decided to step back from the limelight. He made his last public appearance in January of that same year and taught his final class at his iconic Slimmons studio in February. He officially closed the studio in November 2016. "It has been an amazing part of my life to teach, meet and support people from all over the world," he wrote on Facebook to break the news of Slimmons' shut down. "I want to thank everyone who has come through those studio doors to laugh, cry and sweat with me! Remember to keep sweatin.'" Take a look back at Simmons' life and his four-decade-long career in photos. 01 of 11 Little Richard Richard Simmons in 1950 at age 2. Courtesy Richard Simmons Milton Teagle — a.k.a. Richard — Simmons pictured at 2 years old at his family home in New Orleans in 1950. In an April 2017 issue of PEOPLE, friends and family weighed in on the fitness guru's retreat from the spotlight. While his brother Lenny told PEOPLE at the time that they speak weekly and he "seems okay to me," his assistant Elijah Jones said, "I want my friend back in my life the way he used to be." Here, a look back at his private life and public persona. 02 of 11 College Try Richard Simmons in 1968. Courtesy Richard Simmons Simmons (at age 20 in his 1968 University of Louisiana portrait) "would try to hold back tears because boys would pick on him," said childhood friend Antoinette DiPiazza. Bullied for his weight, he hit 270 lbs. by the end of high school, then later lost 112 lbs. in just more than two months — a diet binge that nearly killed him. By 1970 he was in L.A. studying nutrition, and in 1975, he opened his eatery and exercise studio, Ruffage and the Anatomy Asylum. 03 of 11 Working it Out Simmons on a January 1996 Cruise to Lose trip. Evan Hurd/Corbis via Getty By 1979, he was receiving 25,000 fan letters a day, which led to his now-iconic videos and other marketing opportunities around the world. Here, Simmons on a January 1996 Cruise to Lose trip. "I've been on numerous cruise trips with him, and they were exhausting to me. I can't imagine what it was like for him," Lenny told PEOPLE of his brother's endless stamina. 04 of 11 Happy Days Richard Simmons (right) circa 2000. Courtesy Elijah Jones With live-in housekeeper Teresa Reveles, his caretaker and confidant, and former assistant Elijah Jones circa 2000. 05 of 11 Dave's Darling Richard Simmons and David Letterman in November 2006. John Paul Filo/CBS/ Getty Simmons was a frequent guest on talk shows — including Late Night with David Letterman, where he was a favorite guest. "He's always been the way he is now," Lenny said. "He's always had his quiet time. It's just that people only saw one aspect of him, and now that they aren't seeing that, they think that something has happened, that something is wrong." 06 of 11 Missing Richard Simmons Richard Simmons and Dan Taberski. Dan Taberski/Instagram Podcaster and former Daily Show producer Dan Taberski (with Simmons in 2012) shared, "I want to find the man behind the persona." So he tried, launching the Missing Richard Simmons podcast in 2017. The pod drew millions of listeners and sparked frenzied speculation about the reason for Simmons' exile from the spotlight. 07 of 11 Swim Fan Richard Simmons and Diana Nyad in October 2013. Ilya S. Savenok/Getty At a Hurricane Sandy October 2013 benefit with famed swimmer Diana Nyad. "He took the shame out of being overweight, a profound service to America," said Nyad. 08 of 11 Behind the Laughter Richard Simmons in November 2013. Charles Norfleet/FilmMagic "I'm not a phony playing a character," Simmons (in the 2013 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade) told PEOPLE in a 1981 cover story. "I'm a person with faults and insecurities." 09 of 11 Family First Lenny (left) with Richard and Lenny’s wife Cathy in December 2013. Courtesy Richard Simmons "He needed a break from being in the public eye," said Lenny (with his wife Cathy and Richard in December 2013). "After 40-odd years he just decided that he wants to rest, and I certainly can't blame him. If I have any message at all for his fans, it's this: It doesn't mean that he doesn't love and think about his fans, he just decided that it's time for him to be quiet and enjoy his life." 10 of 11 Withdrawing from View Richard Simmons in November 2013. Ray Tamarra/Getty Simmons on Dec. 13, 2013, two months before he stopped teaching at his studio. After retreating from the limelight, he spent his time watching the news (60 Minutes was a favorite) and game shows (Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune) and relaxing in his garden among the many visiting hummingbirds. "When I look at him, he still looks like my brother — he has the beard, and his hair is a little grayer, but you expect that at 68," said Lenny in 2017. Did he have any regrets? "He doesn't seem to. He never says, 'I wish I was doing this, or I'm upset about that.' It's more, 'I enjoyed doing what I did, I hope I made a contribution, but I don't miss it.' " Simmons made news following a 2017 hospitalization, a lawsuit against a former assistant and rumors he was transitioning, which he denied. In 2021, his Sweatin' to the Oldies workout series returned via a streaming service, a move he was "very excited" about, he said in a release at the time. "I hope many new fans will discover these timeless classics." In August 2022, a documentary called TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons premiered on Fox, diving further into the theories pushed by the podcast. 11 of 11 Richard Simmons Dies at Age 76 Richard Simmons in December 2013. David A. Walega/WireImage On Saturday, July 13, Richard Simmons died at 76 years old in his Los Angeles home, only one day after celebrating his birthday. His longtime publicist Tom Estey confirmed Simmons' death to PEOPLE, adding that "the world has truly lost an angel." The fitness personality was active on social media only hours before his death, posting on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), "Hello gorgeous! Please don't rain on my parade." The day before, he shared a message of gratitude to fans, stating that he had never received so much love on his birthday. Simmons opened up about his birthday plans to PEOPLE in a story published July 12. The festivities included blowing out a candle "on a zucchini," citing his vegetarianism, and doing what he does "every day" — helping others. Close