Not long after Richard Simmons resurfaced in the public eye with the intention of doing his own never-seen-before kind of Broadway show, he was confirmed dead at his Los Angeles home at the age of 76. While the fitness guru’s unexpected passing is undergoing thorough investigation, he is said to have died from natural causes.
Many celebrities like Denise Austin, Ricki Lake, Shaun T., and Jane Fonda, who claimed to have spotted him last with a new lover, took to social media to pay their respects to the late TV personality. Like Richard, Fonda was also a sensation in the fitness industry, releasing her own VHS tape, Jane Fonda’s Original Workout, back then.
Jane Fonda’s touching tribute to Richard Simmons
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Taking it to Instagram, Fonda shared a carousel of photos, including throwback moments with Richard, alongside a lengthy heartfelt note gushing about how wholesome their friendship was. “I’ll never forget Richard singing through the hallways, hugging my daughters, and even sending me a letter when my mom passed,” she wrote, admitting that she was heartbroken by the painful news of his passing.
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She called Richard a generous person who would go out of his way to make others, including herself, comfortable. Fonda’s followers joined her in mourning her loss and left words of encouragement for her in the comments section.
Fonda testifies to the late fitness guru’s sexuality
Richard’s sexuality was a hot topic of discussion during his lifetime, and although he never publicly discussed his sexual orientation, rumors about him being gay were not uncommon. Confirming the speculations, Fonda said they last saw each other at the Polo Lounge, where she met his new boyfriend as they had lunch together.
In Fonda’s words, he was so happy and proud of his partner, who she did not name. It appears Richards eventually came to terms with his sexuality shortly before his passing, as he often denied being gay in the past and never married or kept any known romantic partners.