Richard Simmons

 Fitness personality and TV host, dead at 76

Richard Simmons appears in a dress
and beehive wig in a photo posted to his
 Facebook page on July 11, 2014 with the caption,
 "I'm in a dancing mood!"

Richard Simmons, the perennial 1980s workout personality who was defined by his uplifting spirit, has died, according to his longtime publicist Tom Estey.

Estey said Simmons died early on Saturday morning. He had celebrated his 76th birthday the day before. “We lost an Angel today - a true Angel,” Estey added.

Simmons’ brother, Lenny, paid tribute in a statement shared with CNN.

“I don’t want people to be sad about my brother. 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.”

Recent celebration

For his birthday, Simmons wrote on X on Friday, “Thank you…I never got so many messages about my birthday in my life! I am sitting here writing emails. Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday. Love, Richard.”

He also spoke to People on the occasion of his 76th birthday. He joked that he was going to celebrate by blowing out a birthday candle “on a zucchini” in a nod to his history as a proponent of good health and self care.

“I feel good! I am grateful that I’m here, that I am alive for another day,” Simmons said at the time. “I’ll spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is to help people.”