Our favorite leotard-loving, sweatband-sporting fitness guru Richard Simmons has jumped, twirled, and jazzercised his way to the great aerobics class in the sky. On the sunny morning of July 13, Richard decided it was time for his final cooldown at his Los Angeles home, leaving us all to stretch our emotions and work out our grief. He was 76, but his energy was at least 21.
The drama unfolded like a reality TV show, with TMZ breaking the news and local police and firefighters rushing to the scene after receiving a call from Richard’s housekeeper. It was like an episode of “CSI: Sweatpants,” and unfortunately, this episode had a tear-jerking ending. Richard was declared the most sparkly angel in heaven just before 10 a.m. local time. His rep confirmed his glittery departure to ABC News.
While the cause of Richard’s exit from our dance floor has not been officially revealed, the law enforcement squad is leaning towards natural causes. We like to think he did one last fabulous twirl before gracefully bowing out.
Adding a pinch of poetic timing to this already dramatic saga, Richard’s curtain call came just a day after his 76th birthday. On Friday, July 12, the man who made Lycra fashionable was basking in birthday love, tweeting, “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.” Little did we know, he was signing off for the last time.
Richard Simmons wasn’t just any fitness guru; he was the spandex-clad messiah of the ’70s and ’80s workout scene. With his zany energy, he opened gyms that were more like fitness carnivals and released workout tapes that could make even the laziest couch potato get up and boogie. He gracefully tiptoed away from the limelight over a decade ago, sparking countless rumors and a whole lot of speculation about his whereabouts.
As we do a collective grapevine in his honor, our hearts go out to Richard’s family, friends, and all the souls he helped shed a few pounds while gaining a ton of confidence. Rest in peace, Richard Simmons. May your heavenly aerobics class be forever fabulous!
