After years of shunning the spotlight, Richard Simmons gave one final interview before he died.
The fitness icon, who had withdrawn from the public eye in recent years, spoke with People magazine two days before his July 13 death at the age of 76, for his first interview in nearly a decade.
Jason Sheeler, People's West Coast special projects director, conducted the interview and said Simmons was aware people longed to see him again.
“Richard was vulnerable. Richard was real. He knew he was missed. And, in fact, he missed his fans just as much,” Sheeler told TODAY in an interview that aired July 16.
Simmons had not been seen publicly in about a decade and even called into TODAY in 2016 to shoot down rumors his housekeeper was holding him hostage. Sheeler said while Simmons had become reclusive in his later years, he was focused on the future.
“He had many things in the works,” he explained. “There’s a documentary that was getting made about him, with which he was participating. There’s a Broadway show that he was co-writing. So there’s a lot of things he was excited about.”
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Sheeler also said Simmons told him that he remained dedicated to speaking with fans.
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“He also said, to be clear, ‘People think I disappeared and I haven’t. I’ve been calling my fans every day. I email with them,’” he said.
In addition, Sheeler said Simmons made a point of letting him know he was not cooped up in his home.
“He did let me know that he has been leaving the house, but in disguise,” he said.
Law enforcement sources told NBC News that Simmons was found unresponsive in his home July 13. No cause of death has been determined yet for Simmons, who emerged as a star in the ‘70s and ‘80s, thanks to his energetic workouts, effervescent personality, bubbly talk show appearances and omnipresent exercise videos. In his interview with People, Simmons pointed to his flair for bringing joy.
“I’ll always be fooling around,” he said. “When the curtain goes up, I’m there to make people happy.”
He also talked about how he was treated for skin cancer, saying he used his experience to help others.
“Basal cell carcinoma, it was scary. But it never came back. So many people have cancer,” he added. “I call them, I sing to them. ‘You’re gonna get through this. You just have to believe that.’”
Simmons also shared an appreciation for his own life.
“I’m grateful I get to live another day,” he said.
“Today is a beautiful day,” he added. “But nothing’s really different. I got up this morning. I said my prayers, I counted my blessings, and then I went to work. You know? And writing messages, answering emails — and when the email is real extreme, I ask for their numbers, and I call them. I’m feeling great, ‘cause I’m helping people.”
Simmons had a loyal and devoted fan base, but he downplayed the notion that he is a legend.
“I don’t hear the word ‘legend.’ I don’t hear the word ‘icon.’ I never lived a celebrity life. I never thought of myself as a celebrity,” he said. “People don’t know this, I’m really a shy person and a little bit of an introvert. But when that curtain goes up that’s a different story. I’m there to make people happy.”
That’s a philosophy that Sheeler said made Simmons who he was.
“He always wanted to know more about the person he was in front of, and that’s why he affected so many millions of people,” he said.
This article first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:
