Before his unexpected death, Richard Simmons was planning a comeback years after he stepped away from the public spotlight.
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While speaking to PEOPLE, Richard’s brother Lenny Simmons stated that the fitness guru’s work wasn’t quite done. He allegedly wanted to help the next generation with weight loss and fitness.
Richard, who rose to fame in the early 70s with his workout videos and books, stepped away from the public in 2014 and eventually closed his famous fitness studio. However, he had been active on social media during the final years of his life.
“I think the way kids are growing up today with their phones and all that, and not getting out… there’s a need again, and I think that’s why he came out of retirement,” Lenny Simmons stated about Richard.
“He knew — if you read some of his posts — people will say, ‘I used to watch your videos with my grandparents.’ So, you know, it’s a new generation that is watching.”
Lenny also said he hopes that Richard’s fitness videos will make a comeback following his death.
“At 76, I don’t know if he could have kept up with some of the things he did when he was 30,” Lenny continued. “But the point is, I think he realized that he needed to be out there again for a new generation of people who are having problems like they were many years ago.”
He further pointed out, “Sometimes we just don’t know how long we have in this world. I think coming out of this, there may be people that will show up and say, ‘I want to continue that legacy,’ … I hope so.”
Richard Simmons passed away on Saturday, July 13, one day after celebrating his 76th birthday.
Richard Simmons Never Thought of Himself As A Celebrity
Two days before he passed away, Richard Simmons opened up about his decades-long fame. He admitted at that never thought of himself as a celebrity.
“I never thought of myself as a celebrity,” he told PEOPLE during what is now known as his final interview. “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.”
Richard then noted, “But the accolades I get from emails. I mean, today most probably, we’ll answer over 100 emails. they’ll say, ‘I’m your No. 1 fan.’ And I just write back, and I say, you know, ‘Don’t say that because I’m a human being just like you. And I know that you do good things, too.’”
Although the cause of death has yet to be revealed, sources say the fitness legend had fallen in his Los Angeles residence hours before he was pronounced dead.