L.A. Medical Examiner Rules Richard Simmons's Manner of Death "Accident"

It's been just over a month since fitness legend Richard Simmons passed away on July 13, 2024, the day after his 76th birthday. Since then, there's been a lot of speculation surrounding his death, as the official cause was not immediately released to the public.

The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) has officially determined his cause of death was contributed to by a bathroom fall he took just days prior.

In a press release from the L.A. Coroner's Office, it's officially been confirmed that Richard's cause of death was "sequelae of blunt traumatic injuries."

"Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a contributing condition," the press release continues. "The manner of death is accident."

Just two days before Richard was found unresponsive on the floor of his bedroom, he had experienced a fall in his bathroom. Richard reportedly spent the following day in bed, recovering. In an interview with Richard's housekeeper, Teresa Reveles, she told People she wanted to take him to the hospital when he couldn't get out of bed the next day, but he refused.

"No, Teresa. Not on my birthday. Why we don't wait and we do it in the morning," Teresa recalled him saying, before concluding, “But in the morning it was too late.”

She told the outlet that in his final days, he spent his time calling and emailing fans in between writing a Broadway musical about his life. He was also planning to participate in a documentary about his life, produced by ABC, and he'd just given his first interview in a decade to People.

"Everything happened the way he wanted. He wanted to die first, he went first," Teresa continued. "And you know what? I'm very happy because Richard was really, very happy. He died very happy.”