It was a rainy day during my freshman year of high school, and our physical education class was moved indoors. Little did I know that those rain clouds would change my life. Our teacher popped a Richard Simmons Sweatin' to the Oldies tape into the VCR, and the teacher told us to follow along. There was Richard in all his curly-haired glory, dancing, singing, and encouraging a group of overweight people to move their bodies. They did it without shame or fear and with giant smiles.
That's what Richard Simmons wanted. He wanted people to be healthy and not to fear others' judgment. He spent his entire life devoted to helping people, and I was among his biggest fans. When he died on July 13, 2024, I truly believe the world lost one of its brightest lights.
I was never overweight, but I was hurting.
After that day in PE, I became obsessed with everything about Richard Simmons. I had the workout videos, bought walking tapes, read all his books, and ordered a Deal-A-Meal diet plan from QVC. When one of my best friends moved away after my first year of high school, I wrote Richard a letter, and he responded with a kind note reassuring me I would be OK and encouraging me to be healthy.
He wrote, "Take good care of yourself and I hope school continues to go well for you. Anytime you need a word of cheer, drop me a line."
That letter confirmed what I had believed of him from afar, Richard genuinely cared. It wasn't a façade.
The next summer, I met him for the first time.
I was combing the Sunday ads and saw that Richard would be visiting Venture, a discount store like Target, that week to launch his new clothing line. My mom took the day off work, and I made her get there when the store opened so that we wouldn't miss him. We were the second people in line and waited hours for his arrival. I burst into tears when he began his signature prance down the aisle and picked up a little boy to dance along the way.
I was positively overcome with emotion. He hugged and kissed me, autographed my book, and told my mother I looked "Just like Snow White." It was a magical interaction. I met him two more times in my life and even had him hold my first child. Those are days I will never forget.
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He didn't just do that for me.
Hundreds of people were in line that day, and he had the same love and compassion for all of them. Many were extremely overweight, and he cried with them as they told their stories. It wasn't just that day, Richard was that way every day. He was well-known for his workout videos and diet plans, but Richard also spent countless hours writing letters, making phone calls, and visiting people who needed his help.
As someone who has followed his career closely for the past 30 years, I can confidently say you never heard Richard say a mean word to anyone.
There will never be another person like him.
Sure, we are all unique, but the mold was broken when Milton Teagle Simmons entered the world on July 12, 1948. He died just one day after his 76th birthday, shocking many who'd been following him on social media recently. Though he hadn't been seen in public for more than a decade, he began posting on Facebook with big plans for the world. The day before his death, he wrote: "Thank you…I never got so many messages about my birthday in my life! I am sitting here writing emails. Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday. Love, Richard."
The world will miss Richard Simmons.
The day he died, I received dozens of texts and messages from people I've known throughout my live who knew of my love for the workout guru. People understand that I worked out with his videos, followed his diets, and looked to him for guidance for more than 30 years. When I wear a Richard Simmons T-shirt, I am not making fun of him, I am thanking him for making my life better.
He made an impact on our world for decades, and millions of people are better because he was in their lives. Not a lot of people leave earth with that kind of legacy. In a world where divisiveness, bullying, and anger seem to abound, we could use a few more people like Richard Simmons. I will miss you and love you forever. Thank you for everything, Richard….I mean it…
