Richard Simmons looked unrecognizable in the post he planned the day before he died, as fans said the star looked ‘fabulous’

RICHARD Simmons’ team is keeping his legacy strong by sharing his last message and a recent photo of him that the star prepared for fans.

On Saturday, Richard’s team released the final pre-approved post the late fitness guru wrote before he died at age 76.

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Richard tragically died aged 76 on Saturday 13th August.

But fans may not know that her inspirational weekly X posts were pre-written and then shared by her team.

He had one more social media post in store, which has now been shared posthumously.

His team explained that the post was initially prepared for last Sunday, the day after his death, and was written last Friday – the day before his death.

The post has now been shared, marking the late star’s last message on social media.

‘HE WORKED VERY HARD IN HIS POSTS’

“Richard has worked hard on his posts for you,” Simmons’ team explained Saturday in their X profile.

“He had a lot of ideas and would work them through…going back to each one making changes until it was how he wanted it before posting.

“As you know, on weekends he would just share a photo with a caption. He would always choose his photos and write the captions for the next weekend by Friday.

“So we have the post that Richard planned to share with you last Sunday. We thought you might like to see it,” they added.

‘LOVE, RICARDO’

The team then shared Simmons’ planned post for July 14, a Photograph of him in a NASA spacesuit, in front of a red rock backdrop.

He looked unrecognizable, with graying hair and a face that was a little thinner than many might remember, but also triumphant and naturally happy.

“Let me take you to the moon so we can gaze at the stars. Love, Richard,” the caption read.

‘BEAUTIFUL SOUL’

Fans were touched by the post and expressed their love in their responses.

“Thank you. This makes me want to cry. Thank you,” one user wrote.

“Thank you for posting this! It will be nice to have a memory of him in his later years,” wrote another.

“You looked fabulous!” wrote a third.

“Such a beautiful soul, inside and out. …see you in the stars, Richard,” wrote a fourth.

The photo was rare indeed, as Richard spent much of his last decade completely out of the spotlight.

MISSING ICON

Ricard died suddenly last Saturday, July 20, 2024.

Police were reportedly called to their Los Angeles home around 10 a.m. when the housekeeper discovered Simmons on the floor, according to TMZ.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators said they saw no signs of foul play, although they confirmed he suffered a fall last night that could be related to his death.

Police have since confirmed that the death did not involve foul play.

Best known for his colorful fitness classes shared on tapes and DVDs during the 1980s, Simmons was beloved for his cheerful outlook on life and boundless energy.

Simmons received a cancer diagnosis earlier this year and shared the devastating news with fans in March.

A TIME FOR EVERYTHING

Simmons announced he was “dying” in a Facebook post — which scared some fans — but, characteristically, told everyone to keep enjoying their lives anyway.

“I have some news to tell you,” he wrote.

“Please don’t be sad. I’m… dying. Oh, I can see your faces now. The truth is, we’re all dying. Every day we live we’re getting closer to our death.”

“Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to enjoy your life to the fullest every day,” he said.

He later went into more detail about his basal cell carcinoma – the most common form of skin cancer.

Simmons said she went to see a dermatologist after finding swelling under her eye that wouldn’t go away.

“Now I’m getting a little nervous. He comes back about 20 minutes later and says the C word. ‘You have cancer,'” he recalled.

“I asked him what kind of cancer and he said. Basal cell carcinoma. I told him to stop calling me names. He laughed.”

OUT OF THE LIGHT

Despite her massive popularity in the 80s and 90s, Simmons finally took a break from public appearances around 2014.

Rumors have been circulating for decades about what the cause could be, culminating in a 2022 documentary titled What Really Happened to Richard Simmons?

The film claimed that Simmons suffered from a birth defect in his foot that affected him physically and mentally, requiring him to slow down.

Despite the cancer diagnosis, Simmons still had big plans for next year.

He had already begun work on a Broadway musical with acclaimed producer Patrick Leonard, who has worked with stars such as Madonna and Michael Jackson, according to Fox News.

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