10 Fans Share Their Unforgettable Richard Simmons Stories

Richard Simmons didn't just change how America approached fitness. He changed how people felt about themselves, one genuine hug at a time.

The fitness superstar who sold 200 million workout videos and brought aerobics to millions passed away on July 13, 2024, just one day after his 76th birthday. His family shared that he died from complications related to recent falls and heart disease.

But his impact lives on in the memories of countless people he touched. Fans recently shared their favorite encounters with Simmons, and the stories paint a picture of someone who brought his authentic, sparkly personality everywhere he went.

Patti Gressman was working at an LAX gate when Simmons tried to grab the announcement microphone right out of her hand. He didn't want special treatment. He wanted to lead the entire gate area in a pre-flight exercise class.

Michelle Rosano Thomas witnessed Simmons at the same airport, spinning her 16-year-old daughter in circles before spotting a group of young military members. He asked them to hold him horizontally while he saluted, turning a routine travel day into an unforgettable moment of joy.

Jeremy Bransford couldn't help himself when he spotted Simmons in Beverly Hills. "This guy was in my living room every day when I was growing up!" he said, running in for a hug like greeting a distant relative.

The man born Milton Teagle Simmons in New Orleans knew what it felt like to struggle. He weighed 268 pounds in high school and ate a diet rich in lard and desserts. An anonymous note left on his car changed everything: "Dear Richard, you're very funny, but fat people die young. Please don't die."

He lost 65 pounds and discovered aerobics in Hollywood, opening his own studio called Slimmons. "I went into the business because I couldn't find anything I liked," he told The Associated Press in 1982. "My food plan and diet are just two words: common sense, with a dash of good humor."

Sunny's Take

What makes these fan encounters so special isn't just that Simmons was kind. It's that he gave everyone the same enthusiastic energy whether cameras were rolling or not. He hugged car wash employees, tipped everyone he met, and treated strangers like old friends.

Crystal Boutiette attended many of his Beverly Hills classes and described him as "truly wonderful." Gayle Coleman exercised with him after school every day during high school, remembering him as "so much fun."

Even in 2022, after years away from public life, Simmons reassured worried fans that he was "happy, healthy and living the life he has chosen to live."

His legacy isn't just 65 fitness videos or millions of pounds lost. It's thousands of moments where he chose joy, connection, and genuine care for strangers who became friends.