Richard Simmons Said “I Know People Miss Me” in Final Interview Before Death: “I Miss Them, Too”

Richard Simmons mentioned he was nonetheless centered on his followers in a uncommon interview two days earlier than his dying.

The celeb health guru died on Saturday, however instructed People the Thursday earlier than that he was nonetheless reaching lots of of followers by telephone calls and emails every day.

“I do know individuals miss me,” Simmons mentioned. “And you already know what? I miss them, too. However I’m in a position to attain them by telephone calls … and thru emails. And I do depart the home generally. However I’m in disguise.”

Simmons rose to fame within the Nineteen Eighties as a motivational speaker and weight reduction teacher. He was the star of his personal syndicated TV train present and offered tens of millions of aerobics Sweatin‘ to the Oldies movies and DVDs whereas operating a Los Angeles health studio. He wrote a number of books, together with Richard Simmons’ By no means-Say-Eating regimen Guide from 1980. Later in his profession, he appeared as himself on numerous TV exhibits, together with Arrested Improvement, Superb Tales, CHiPs, The Larry Sanders Present and Common Hospital earlier than largely disappearing from public life round 2016.

“Once I determined to retire, it was as a result of my physique instructed me I wanted to retire,” Simmons mentioned within the interview. “I’ve frolicked simply reflecting on my life. The entire books I wrote, the movies. I by no means was like, ‘Oh look what I’ve achieved.’ My factor was, ‘Oh, look how many individuals I helped.’”

Simmons mentioned his focus has all the time remained on serving to individuals. “At the moment likely, we’ll reply over 100 emails,” he mentioned on Thursday. “They usually’ll say, ‘I’m your No. 1 fan.’ And I simply write again, and I say, you already know, ‘Don’t say that as a result of I’m a human being similar to you. And I do know that you just do good issues, too.’”

Simmons’ brother, Lenny, instructed Entertainment Tonight that information of the health star’s dying “was actually a shock.”

“He wasn’t feeling rather well that day, as a result of he mentioned he thought he’d had some meals poisoning, however he was getting higher and going to mattress somewhat early,” he shared. “So we actually didn’t assume something about it. All of us have our dangerous days generally, you already know, not feeling the very best and when [Richard’s housekeeper, Teresa] referred to as me, I used to be in shock. I referred to as my spouse, Kathy, and I mentioned, ‘That you must come right here. That you must hear what [Teresa’s] saying.’ And it actually … my soul simply [felt] sucked [out of my body].”

Within the interview on Thursday, Simmons additionally mentioned he’d written 14 songs for a brand new Broadway present, working with Madonna and Elton John collaborator Patrick Leonard.

“I write the lyrics, and he writes the music,” Simmons mentioned. “The entire present is about my life — from promoting pralines in New Orleans at a sweet retailer once I was a child, to once I determined to retire. Each week, I write an audio.”

Leonard couldn’t be reached for remark, however Simmons additionally shared the lyrics for the audio he had written most just lately: “How do you take care of loss? It takes a toll in your coronary heart. Some shed many tears, others stare on the sky. It’s so exhausting to say goodbye. Here’s what I do know when it’s time for us to go, stunning angels will greet us with a smile and a whats up.”