In a startling post on Facebook, the star told his fans that he was 'dying.'
Richard Simmons is healthy and safe, despite a recent alarming social media post from his account.
In a statement to ET on Monday, Simmons' rep, Tom Estey, said that the fitness guru's post, in which he claimed he was "dying," was meant to be inspirational and not taken literally.
"Richard solely wants to be inspirational and that was his intent in today’s post. He is 100% healthy and happy," Estey stated.
The statement comes just hours after the 75-year-old's post sparked concerns over his well-being. In the Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) message, Simmons used dire language to urge his followers to "enjoy your life to the fullest every single day."
"I have some news to tell you. Please don't be sad. I am ….dying," Simmons wrote. "Oh I can see your faces now. The truth is we all are dying. Every day we live we are getting closer to our death."
The fitness instructor went on to share recommendations for a healthy lifestyle, including breakfast and dinner suggestions and workout tips -- even suggesting his own videos on YouTube. He also suggested to his more than 400,000 Facebook followers that they reach out to their loved ones and listen to Tim McGraw's "Live Like You Were Dying."
"There is something else very important that you must do. Tell the ones that you love that you love them. Hug those people and children who you really care for. A big hug really goes a long way," he wrote.
In an updated statement posted to his social media channels following concern from fans, he apologized for the confusion and shared that his message was simply meant to remind everyone to live every day as if it could be the last.
"Sorry many of you have gotten upset about my message today. Even the press has gotten in touch with me I am not dying," Simmons shared. "It was a message about saying how we should embrace every day that we have."
Concerns over Simmons' health have been prevalent for years as the once incredibly public figure has rarely been seen since 2014. The startling disappearance even sparked a 2022 special, TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons. The documentary focused on Simmons disappearing from the public eye, and it also revealed that problems with his knees is the reason why he's stayed out of the spotlight all these years.
Earlier this year, Simmons told fans in a post that he was "fine and happy," but that he did not want to do interviews for the time being. That message came after his previous comments about his disapproval of The Court Jester, an unauthorized biopic about his life.
"Hi Everybody! You may have heard they may be doing a movie about me with Pauly Shore. I have never given my permission for this movie," he wrote in a Facebook post.
Furthermore, Simmons' rep told ET at the time, "Richard and I are not endorsing this project. It is unauthorized. I spoke to Pauly last year and told him [Richard] is not ready to tell his story."
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