Details Revealed on Richard Simmons’ Cause of Death
New details about Richard Simmons’ death have come to light.
One month after the beloved fitness instructor’s passing, authorities shared what led up to his accidental death in documents from L.A. County’s Department of Medical Examiner obtained by E! News.
According to the report, which was completed Aug. 22, Richard died from blunt traumatic injuries after experiencing episodes of dizziness. On July 11, the 76-year-old collapsed on the floor of his home, the report details. Discovered the next morning, he spent the day in bed and then, on July 13, he was found unresponsive on the bedroom floor. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Additionally, arteriosclerosis cardiovascular disease—where the walls of the arteries, which should be flexible, become stiff—was a contributing condition. The autopsy also found that he had trazodone, zolpidem and diphenhydramine in his system but noted that “these do not appear to have contributed to the cause of death.”
Richard’s loved ones confirmed his death was accidental after his brother Lenny received a call from the county’s coroner’s office, Tom Estey, a rep for the family, told E! News Aug. 21.
"The Coroner informed Lenny that Richard's death was accidental due to complications from recent falls and heart disease as a contributing factor,” he continued. “The toxicology report was negative other than medication Richard had been prescribed.”
As his loved ones mourned the legendary star’s passing, they also paid tribute to his legacy.
"I don’t want people to be sad about my brother," Lenny reflected in a statement to E! News in July. "I want them to remember him for the genuine joy and love he brought to people’s lives."
"He truly cared about people," he continued. "He called, wrote, and emailed thousands of people throughout his career to offer help. So don’t be sad. Celebrate his life."
And, of course, the fitness phenom left his followers one final gift.
"Richard worked very hard on his posts for you," staffers wrote in a July missive on X. "He had many ideas and would work ahead… going back to each one making changes until he had it just like he wanted before posting. As you know, on the weekends, he would just share a photo with a caption.”
“So we have the post Richard planned to share with you last Sunday,” they continued. “We thought you’d want to see it.”
Alongside a photo of himself donning a NASA spacesuit, he planned to post, “Let me fly you to the moon so we can gaze among the stars. Love, Richard.”
Keep reading to for a look back at Richard’s life in photos.
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