Richard Simmons’ House Keeper Reveals His Bizzare ‘Joyful’ Habit

It has been over two weeks for the reason that world misplaced health legend Richard Simmons, however tributes proceed to pour in, with the most recent coming from his housekeeper.

Teresa Reveles labored for and lived with the wellness skilled for 35 years, turning into considered one of its closest confidantes throughout his life. She lately opened up about their treasured recollections and his remaining moments in an emotional interview.

Richard Simmons died on July 13, a day after his 76th birthday. He was found by his longtime housekeeper, a second she described as a peaceable passing.

In her first-ever interview after Simmons’ passing, Reveles mirrored on his legacy and dying alongside her recollections as considered one of his closest companions. She described his final days as “Joyful,” noting he hung out with the neighborhood skunks.

Each night time, a household of skunks visited Simmons’ again door in West Hollywood, the place he fed them peanuts by hand. He befriended the creatures to the purpose the place Reveles claimed he may contact their noses.

“‘Richard! They in all probability have rabies!’ I might inform him,” Reveles recalled in her unique interview with PEOPLE. She couldn’t cease the feelings from swirling and broke down in tears, confessing she nonetheless hadn’t come to phrases along with his dying.

“I am unable to cease crying. I nonetheless cannot imagine what occurred,” Simmons’ longtime confidente stated. She refused to cease the interview to honor his reminiscence, including, “I wish to rejoice Richard. He died completely satisfied.”

Aside from feeding the neighborhood skunks, Reveles revealed Simmons spent his remaining days calling followers and answering their emails. He deliberate to take part in an ABC documentary about his life and do an interview with Diane Sawyer.

Simmons additionally wrote a Broadway musical based mostly on his life; nevertheless, issues instantly modified when he fell and went to mattress. On the morning of his 76th birthday, he allegedly informed Reveles: “Teresa, I am unable to go down, my legs harm so much.”

“Let’s go to the hospital. Perhaps you broke your leg,” Reveles replied, however he informed her, “No, Teresa. Not on my birthday. Why do not we wait and we do it within the morning.”

Though she adopted Simmons’ needs, Reveles could not assist however lament not taking him to the hospital. She recalled the state Simmons’ physique was in when she found him the following morning, saying:

“After I noticed him, he appeared peaceable. However his arms had been balled into fists. That is why I do know it was a coronary heart assault. I had a coronary heart assault a number of years in the past, and my arms did the identical.”

Reflecting on their decades-long relationship, Reveles claimed Simmons foresaw they might be collectively till his dying. When she started working for him in 1986, he warmly welcomed her, saying:

“Teresa, are available in. You’re by no means going to go away. We’re going to be collectively till I die.”

In her interview, Reveles shared that one of many causes for Simmons’ withdrawal from the highlight in 2014 was his look. He allegedly informed her, “I do not need folks to see me. I do not look that stunning anymore, Teresa.”

Regardless of his insecurities, The Blast reported that the wellness skilled’s older brother, Lenny, claimed he deliberate to relaunch his health profession earlier than his dying. He shared the information in an interview, saying:

“I feel the way in which youngsters are rising up immediately with their telephones and all that, and never getting out… there is a want once more, and I feel that is why he got here out of retirement.”

Though Lenny confessed that at 76, he did not assume his brother may sustain with the actions he did in his prime. Nonetheless, he believed the health guru’s exercise movies stay “simply as related now as they had been then.”

Days after his dying, The Blast shared that Simmons was laid to relaxation on the Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary in Los Angeles.

Photos of his gravesite went viral on social media, displaying that his remaining resting place had been adorned with vibrant flowers left by family members. The photographs got here on the heels of stories about Simmons’ reason behind dying.

Sources near the matter claimed the 76-year-old’s fall might need contributed to his dying. Nonetheless, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Workplace has not revealed the official reason behind his dying.

Whereas the thriller behind Richard Simmons’ dying stays unsolved, followers can proceed to honor his reminiscence like Teresa Reveles with heartwarming tributes.