Richard Simmons Cause of Death Revealed by His Brother

The fitness enthusiast died at the age of 76.

By Brenda Alexander

News of fitness pioneer Richard Simmons dying just a day after his 76th birthday sent shockwaves to his fans. Now, his brother Lenny is opening up about the beloved personality's passing. Lenny has confirmed that the fitness guru died of natural causes.

PEOPLE received a statement from a spokesperson for the Simmons family relaying that Lenny received a call from the Los Angeles Coroner's office to report that Richard's death "was accidental due to complications from recent falls and heart diseases as a contributing factor." The toxicology report "was negative other than medication Richard had been prescribed." His family is grateful for Richards' fans and "their outpouring of love and support during this time of great loss." 

Simmons died on July 13 at his home in LA. His housekeeper found him unresponsive and altered paramedics. Reports surfaced that he suffered a fall the day before but refused medical treatment because he wanted to continue celebrating his birthday. His brother spoke with the media after his death.

Related:

"I don't want people to be sad about my brother," Lenny said in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter. "I want them to remember him for the genuine joy and love he brought to people's lives. He truly cared about people. He called, wrote and emailed thousands of people throughout his career to offer help. So don't be sad. Celebrate his life."

In recent years, Richard had become a recluse. TMZ even did a documentary about trying to locate him and questioned why a man so popular with the general public would go MIA. Loved ones say Richard grew weary of his public persona and sought refuge in his home. He resurfaced earlier this year and began communicating with fans on his social media accounts, most notably Facebook. He'd been in the public eye since his fitness videos took off in the 1980s.

Trending Now: