Richard Simmons's Official Cause of Death Revealed

Beloved fitness mogul Richard Simmons died on July 13, 2024, just one day after his 76th birthday. Although Richard had largely avoided the spotlight for several years prior to his death, he remained an iconic figure whose eccentric yet humble personality was appreciated by many.

Naturally, his many fans are curious about Richard's cause of death. Thus far, details remain scarce, which is to be expected from someone who obviously preferred a life out of the public eye. Here's what we know so far.

Richard's death "was accidental due to complications from recent falls and heart disease as a contributing factor. The toxicology report was negative other than medication Richard had been prescribed," according to a statement from the LA Coroner’s office provided to his brother Lenny. The Simmons family spokesperson, Tom Estey, shared this update with People on Aug. 21, 2024. The statement continued, "The Family wishes to thank everyone for their outpouring of love and support during this time of great loss.”

Richard was laid to rest at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary in Los Angeles.

On Saturday, July 13, police and fire were alerted by a call from Richard's housekeeper. They responded to Richard's home and pronounced him dead at the scene.

TMZ reported that Simmons mysteriously fell in his home's bathroom, but it's uncertain whether this was where the housekeeper discovered him.

In recent months, Richard had been sharing updates about his health.

In recent years, Richard had taken to posting personal stories about his life on his Facebook page. Although he avoided public events, it seems he was keen on sharing what was going on in his life. He shared memories of growing up in show business and clips of his many memorable performances.

He also shared a bit of information about his health. In March of 2024, Richard shared a Facebook post about his experience being diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma.

"Mirror mirror on the wall, what’s that blemish which is so small?" He wrote. "There was this strange-looking bump under my right eye. I had a tube of Neosporin which I would put on in the morning and the evening … It was still there. It was time to call my dermatologist.

"I sat in his chair and he looked at it through a magnifying mirror. He told me he would have to scrape it and put it under the microscope. Now I am getting a little bit nervous. He comes back about 20 minutes later and says the C word. You have cancer. I asked him what kind of cancer and he said. Basal Cell Carcinoma. I told him to stop calling me dirty names. He laughed."

Thankfully, the carcinoma on Richard's face was taken care of over the course of three treatments, but his brush with the disease certainly seems to have left an impression as he went on to mention it in several more posts. Richard also shared that he had had surgery on his shoulder and a right knee replacement.

Ever the thoughtful person, Richard encouraged his fans and followers to take care of themselves if they, too, were feeling unwell. "If something doesn’t feel right with your body please schedule a visit with your doctor," he wrote.

Our thoughts are with Richard's friends, fans, and family at this time.