Celebrity fitness instructor and health guru Richard Simmons dies one day after turning 76

Just hours after he was busy thanking fans on social media for their birthday wishes, legendary fitness instructor Richard Simmons died on Saturday at age 76, according to the New York Post.

Simmons has largely been away from the public eye for about a decade. He was famous in the 1970s and ‘80s for his physical fitness tapes and the gyms he opened around the country. His death was first reported by TMZ.

In 2022, a documentary titled "TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons," speculated on why he had disappeared from the public eye. 

According to one pop culture website, the star's decision to retire came down to his reported need for a knee surgery that would make it difficult for him to teach the exuberant exercise classes he was known for.