Teresa Reveles, who served as Richard Simmons’ house manager for 35 years, has finally opened up about the fitness icon’s passing in an emotional interview with People. Reveles, who discovered Simmons dead in his home on July 13, recounted her disbelief and sorrow over the loss. “I can’t stop crying. I still can’t believe what happened,” she said. Despite her grief, she emphasized that Simmons died happy.
Richard Simmons’ Final Moments
According to Reveles, Simmons suffered a fall in his bathroom and refused medical help, despite her urging. On the morning of his birthday, Simmons mentioned his legs hurt too much to get out of bed. Reveles suggested they go to the hospital, fearing he might have broken his leg, but Simmons declined, wanting to wait until the next morning.
Tragically, by the next morning, it was too late. Reveles found Simmons on the floor next to his bed, and although she believes he had a heart attack, the LA Medical Examiner’s Office has yet to confirm the cause of death, pending further investigation.
A Peaceful Passing
Reflecting on the events, Reveles shared that Simmons appeared peaceful when she found him, with his hands balled into fists, a symptom she recognized from her own heart attack. She described Simmons’ struggles in his later years, including a knee replacement and the inability to continue teaching fitness classes, which led him to withdraw from the public eye.
In 2014, Simmons told Reveles he could no longer jump and thought it was time to retire. Reveles initially thought he was joking, but Simmons insisted he couldn’t continue if he couldn’t be his vibrant self. Reveles recalled him saying, “I don’t want people to see me. I don’t look that beautiful anymore, Teresa.”
Reveles remains in Simmons’ house, fulfilling his wishes. She believes everything happened as Simmons wanted and takes comfort in knowing he was happy in his final moments. “He wanted to die first, he went first. And you know what? I’m very happy because Richard was really, very happy. He died very happy,” she concluded.
