Medical Examiner Reports Richard Simmons’ Death As Accidental ‘Ground Level Fall’

As a devoted fan who grew up dancing to Richard Simmons’ energetic tunes and sweating it out in his Sweatin’ to the Oldies videos, I am utterly heartbroken by the news of his untimely demise. His larger-than-life persona was a beacon of inspiration and joy that transcended the confines of television screens and gym studios, touching countless lives, including mine.


76-year-old Richard Simmons, who was known as a beloved fitness icon, sadly passed away following a devastating accident at home. The Los Angeles Medical Examiner‘s Office has classified his death as an accident, explaining that it was caused by a fall from standing height that led to severe traumatic injuries.

According to PEOPLE’s report, the medical examiner’s findings, released on August 29, classified Simmons’ death as a result of injuries from a fall at home, which led to complications. The report further mentioned that arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease played a role in his demise. It was reported that this fall took place on July 11, 2024, mere days after Simmons celebrated his 76th birthday.

As per the account, Simmons felt dizzy and fell to the floor on July 11 in the evening. He was located the next morning and spent the entire day in bed. Sadly, on July 13, Simmons was found unconscious on the bedroom floor and declared dead at the scene.

According to the formal report, the details given by Tom Estey, who represents Simmons’ family, about the reason behind Simmons’ demise are accurate. On August 21, this information was initially shared by Tom Estey.

This morning, it was reported by PEOPLE that Lenny Simmons, Richard Simmons’ brother, received a call from the Los Angeles Coroner’s office. The Coroner shared that Richard’s death was unintended, resulting from complications following recent falls and heart disease acting as a contributing factor, according to Estey.

Lenny Simmons, Richard’s sibling, expressed that the family wishes for people to recall Richard not with sorrow but rather for the happiness and warmth he spread throughout their lives. As Lenny put it, “I wouldn’t want people to mourn my brother. I’d prefer them to remember him for the authentic joy and affection he bestowed upon others. He genuinely cared about people.” In essence, Lenny asked everyone to celebrate Richard’s life instead of feeling sad.

The Medical Examiner’s findings provided more information on how Simmons passed away. It was discovered that Simmons had a broken left femur, along with small fluid-filled structures in both kidneys (incidental bilateral renal cortical cysts) and a gallstone. However, these conditions were not determined to be the cause of his demise.

As a fervent admirer, I’ve been keeping tabs on the latest developments regarding our beloved star, Simmons. The autopsy reports I’ve just uncovered have shed some light on the substances found in his system. They include diphenhydramine, an antihistamine, trazodone, an antidepressant, and zolpidem, a sleep aid medication. Remarkably, these substances didn’t seem to contribute to his passing.

The report concluded that Simmons’ passing was deemed an accident, primarily for the purposes of public health recordkeeping and statistical analysis.

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2024-08-30 10:44