The Missing Mogul
Richard Simmons: He was a hero to some, but a joke to others. Then he disappeared, and became a mystery to everyone. Why would the icon that paved the way, and built an empire walk away from it? Alarmed and suspicious, people came up with wild conspiracies. But by the time the truth came out it was too late—and even more heartbreaking.
1. He Always Stood Out
Born in 1948 and raised in New Orleans, Richard soon discovered he wasn’t like other kids. Once Richard began overeating and gaining weight at five-years-old, he couldn’t stop. He became an easy target at school. He transformed into the class clown and jester as a coping mechanism. But things were about to get so much worse.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
2. He Couldn’t Lose Weight
Richard had countless childhood memories of dieting, and none were positive. It started with the cold doctor who gave him a restrictive diet and no support. It even included diet pills that his friends swiped from their moms for him. But his attempts kept failing, and he kept gaining weight. Richard entered adulthood even worse off physically—and mentally.
Bonnie Schiffman, Wikimedia Commons
3. He Lived It Up
No one, especially Richard, expected what happened on his college exchange to Florence. At first, the 20-year-old had the time of his life. The food in Italy didn’t hurt. Richard even got his first taste of show business with food commercials and eating scenes in movies. But someone saw right through Richard, and called him out. From that moment forward, he would never be the same.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
4. He Got A Wakeup Call
Richard remembered this night for the rest of his life. He found a note on his car that read “Dear Richard, you're very funny, but fat people die young. Please don't die”. Before losing weight was a quest to fit in, and be cool. Now it was a fight for his life. But losing the big weight required a big change. Richard found the solution—or so he thought.
5. He Went on A Crash Diet
Overnight, food went from being a lover to an enemy. Richard could give methods like dieting, weight loss pills, and Weight Watchers another go. But he’d already been there and done that. Not only did these things not work for him, they left him bigger. So Richard upped the ante: he stopped eating entirely. But starvation wouldn’t—and couldn’t—end well.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
6. He Starved Himself
It felt amazing—at first. Richard lost a lot of weight, but he also lost his health. In only two and a half months he lost over 100 pounds. His skin turned grey and his fell out. He lied to himself about what was happening. And then it got worse. He passed out during a walk, and woke up in a hospital. His body was shutting down. Richard could no longer ignore the price of this weight loss: his life. He may have only spent a few days recovering, but he wasn’t out of the woods yet.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
7. He Learned A Bad Habit
Richard's next big move took him to New York City, where found a new way to lose weight. He wanted to work in fashion illustration, but settled for a waiter job in a restaurant. There, he noticed a coworker ate everything while gaining nothing. He begged for her secret. Turns out, she threw up everything she ate. She called it "the ritual", and Richard quickly adopted her methods—going down another very dangerous path.
8. He Paid The Price
While it was all fun and games at first, after a couple months he began to feel, and look, sick. Richard, unable to connect the dots, thought he picked up a virus. He went to a doctor who figured it out, and didn’t hold back. Once Richard learned about the dangers of bulimia, he never did it again. But he remained trapped in the cycle of: dieting, weight gain, and misery. To get out of it, he first had to get out of the city.
Angela George, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
9. He Took A Leap of Faith
Weight loss wasn’t Richard’s strongest suit; people were. He was such a charming waiter that a customer offered him a job. He took it, and began travelling around the country marketing makeup. Richard was amazing at it, but wasn’t fulfilled. He wanted more from life. The City of Angels called out to him. And he answered her call.
10. He Started Fresh
Richard lacked a plan, but had more than enough people skills to make up for it. He worked at a new restaurant as a waiter, and helped turn it into a hotspot. But at the same time he found and experimented with new diets. He tried everything from shakes to laxatives. Nothing worked: he wasn’t in any better shape mentally and physically. But this was about to change.
John Mathew Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
11. He Found His Passion
Richard couldn’t resist a weight loss trend, and workout classes were no exception. He found a class and an instructor that he loved. It took only one class to convince him that exercise could—and should—be fun. He couldn’t wait to go back. But the instructor kicked him out after the first class because he was the only man. Seeds were planting themselves in Richard's mind.
Elizabeth, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
12. He Saw A Gap
Richard realized the fitness industry had a problem. Most workout classes catered towards people who were already fit. These studios excluded everyone who wasn't fit or was overweight. Not to mention the classes excluding people for things like their gender. Richard knew what he had to do. Everything he’d gone through led up to this moment.
Richard Simmons with good, and serious, weight loss advice!, Eileen Prose
13. He Followed His Dreams
Richard, taking the biggest risk of his life, opened The Anatomy Asylum, an exercise studio. His gamble paid off, and then some. Word of mouth spread like wildfire. People realized The Anatomy Asylum wasn’t a normal studio, and Richard Simmons wasn’t a normal instructor. They were revolutionary and game-changing. Fitness would never be the same.
Cinema Vehicles, General Hospital (1963-)
14. He Was Ahead Of His Time
Richard wasn’t like most fitness instructors. He welcomed all genders, sizes, ages, and fitness levels. And he made his classes joyful. He also criticized fad diets. Instead, he advocated for staying active, having fun, and eating a sensible diet. Richard was vulnerable about his struggles, which inspired others to open up too. He deserved everything that was coming his way.
Cinema Vehicles, General Hospital (1963-)
15. He Built An Empire
Richard was a fitness instructor turned icon, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. He made best selling workout videos. He wrote 9 books. He sold fitness products. He made countless television appearances. The most notable one was a recurring role, as himself, on General Hospital. Then he starred in the Emmy winning The Richard Simmons Show from 1980 to 1984. But his greatest achievements had nothing to do with sales, money or awards.
Cinema Vehicles, General Hospital (1963-)
16. He Healed Himself
Richard’s work helped others—and himself. His career managed to do what the countless fad diets couldn’t. He lost weight—and kept it off. Richard broke the cycle of yo-yo dieting that trapped him since childhood. He was free. He felt on top of his game physically and mentally. But even all that pales in comparison to what Richard did for his fans.
Chip Enterprises, The Richard Simmons Show (1980–1984)
17. He Helped People
Richard was more than a good fitness instructor. He was a good person. His impact goes beyond helping millions of people lose millions of pounds. Richard truly cared about helping and connecting with his fans. He spent hours every week answering letters, emails, and phone calls. Richard adored his work and his fans—and showed it in hilarious ways.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
18. He Loved His Work
Richard’s friend Dan Taberski will never forget a dinner they shared. Richard went to the bathroom, but never came back. The table wondered where he went. Then they noticed a group jumping up and down outside the restaurant window. They realized Richard went outside and was actually exercising with people in the street. He was always good to fans—even when some crossed the line.
Chip Enterprises, The Richard Simmons Show (1980–1984)
19. He Had Crazy Fans
While Richard became used to being a celebrity, but some encounters still shocked him. During one of his packed mall appearances, he took a bathroom break. A fan knocked on the stall and asked “Are you busy? Can we chat?” Richard responded “Well, quite truthfully…” But the fan interrupted him “Great. My name is Al. I’m here with my wife. Oh… I don’t mean she’s in here in the bathroom with me. She’s waiting outside”. It gets worse.
Chip Enterprises, The Richard Simmons Show (1980–1984)
20. He Was Creeped Out
Al continued “Richard, could do me a favor? My wife would love an autograph”. Richard tried to let him down gently, “Well, Al, I don’t have a pen and paper with me”. The fan didn’t get the hint, and said “Oh, here. I have a pen—I’ll slide it under the wall here. And you can just use a piece of toilet paper—that’ll be okay”. It wasn’t the first or last time people disrespected his privacy.
Chip Enterprises, The Richard Simmons Show (1980–1984)
21. He Had A Signature Look
Richard's persona was polarizing. His signature outfit was a bedazzled tank top and tiny Dolphin shorts. His personality was flamboyant, and his body was normal. He didn’t fit, and refused to fit, into the mainstream machismo. Think stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Clint Eastwood. Speculation about orientation followed Richard throughout his entire adult life.
Time Telepictures Television, The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003–2023)
22. He Was A Bachelor
Richard refused to give in. After all, he didn’t owe anyone an explanation. At most, he revealed his refusal to marry. Richard explained he was too devoted to his work. He compared it to priests choosing celibacy. And Richard explained that he didn’t need a spouse and kids because he saw his fans as family. But there was one exception.
Chip Enterprises, The Richard Simmons Show (1980–1984)
23. He Needed Help
Richard needed a housekeeper, and Teresa Reveles needed a job. It was a platonic love at first sight. Well, it was on Richard’s end. She showed up to his house for a trial period, but he wondered “Where are your clothes? Where is your big suitcase?” She replied “I just bring the little suitcase because I only try this for two weeks. If you don't like me or you don't like my cooking, then I can't work”. His response shocked her.
Chip Enterprises, The Richard Simmons Show (1980–1984)
24. He Found His Life Partner
Richard told her “you are never going to leave. We are going to be together until I die”. It was the start of what probably was Richard’s longest and most intimate relationship. Teresa was so much more than a housekeeper to Richard. They lived together, traveled together, exercised together, and ate every meal together. She was there for Richard when he needed it the most.
Chip Enterprises, The Richard Simmons Show (1980–1984)
25. He Was Ridiculed
Countless people, even celebrities like Eddie Murphy, publicly mocked him. In March 2000, he made an appearance on Late Night with David Letterman. Richard, dressed as a turkey, grabbed David as if to hug or kiss him. The host responded by spraying his guest with a fire extinguisher. It led to a severe asthma episode, and a very disappointed Richard. He boycotted the show for six years.
Richard tried to stay out of drama, but it kept finding him.
Featureflash Photo Agency, Shutterstock
26. He Confronted A Hater
Richard was kind to others, but they weren’t always kind in return. In March 2004, fans spotted him in an airport. The 55-year-old happily took photos and signed autographs. Enter, Chris Farney. He was 23-years-old and a total macho man. He ridiculed Richard’s workout videos to his face. Richard didn’t take this well, and did something no one expected.
Worldwide Pants, Late Night with David Letterman (1993–2015)
27. He Got Into Trouble
Richard had a lot of patience, but it wasn’t endless. And on that day, it ran out. After the man made fun of him, he snapped back with, “It’s not nice to make fun of people with issues”, and then slapped the man across the face. Richard got into trouble with the authorities over it and ended up settling out of court. But Richard was usually willing to forgive and forget.
Worldwide Pants, Late Night with David Letterman (1993–2015)
28. He Was Terrified
Richard returned to David Letterman’s show in November 2006. This time, Richard advertised and demonstrated a kitchen steamer. David put a tray, that didn’t belong, underneath the appliance. When Richard turned the steamer on it exploded and caught fire. The 58-year-old ran for his life. It was another incident, but Richard forgave David and even joked about it. But his time in the spotlight was running out.
Worldwide Pants, Late Night with David Letterman (1993–2015)
29. He Disappeared
Richard disappeared from public life in 2014. This meant no more appearances and no more classes. It was a big and out-of-character change for him. Curiosity turned into concern among fans. Then it became alarming once some of Richard’s friends began speaking out. Turns out, they had no idea what was going on with Richard either.
Worldwide Pants, Late Night with David Letterman (1993–2015)
30. He Ghosted Everyone
Richard didn’t just ghost the general public. He ghosted most of his friends and acquaintances. Some friends revealed that they hadn’t seen Richard in years. And they were also suspicious, if not outright accusatory. People were speculating about his disappearance already—and this added more fuel to the fire.
Richard Simmons Surprises a Teen He Has Inspired, Katie Couric
31. He Was Made A Victim
In 2016, people began speculating that Teresa was holding him hostage. Mauro Oliveira, Richard’s former masseur and assistant, made it so much worse. He told CNN “I feel that Richard is now being controlled by the very people that he controlled his whole life”. He went on to say, “Controlled in the sense that they are taking advantage of his weak mental state. Controlled in the sense that they are controlling his mail, controlling his everything. His brother, the manager, and Teresa. Those three people”.
Worldwide Pants, Late Night with David Letterman (1993–2015)
32. His Partner Was Tormented
This made Teresa public enemy number one. Paparazzi followed her, screamed at her, and tried antagonizing her into responding. This went on for years. Teresa put on a brave face because she was one of the few people who knew the truth. But the longer Richard refused to appear in public or on video, the worse the speculation got.
Richard Simmons Surprises a Teen He Has Inspired, Katie Couric
33. He Faced Conspiracies
Others speculated that Richard disappeared after undergoing gender reassignment surgery. Tabloids, including The National Post, also picked up and spread this rumor around. In 2017, Richard sued them for defamation. He lost. And things were about to get even worse and more invasive. Poor Richard couldn’t catch a break.
wsh1266, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
34. He Was Scrutinized
In February 2017, Richard’s former friend Dan Taberski launched the Missing Richard Simmons podcast. Dan swore the podcast came “from a place of love and coming from a place of real concern”. Yet he spent episodes staking out Richard’s home, and speculating about invasive topics. Despite criticisms that it was invasive and exploitative, the podcast became a hit. It got even more people wondering about Richard.
Montclair Film, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
35. He Wasn’t Convincing
Throughout this debacle, Richard did speak out. He occasionally posted on social media and gave audio only or written. Most remained skeptical because they couldn’t see him. Skeptics wondered if Richard was actually behind the statements defending his alleged captors. The authorities couldn’t ignore the uproar anymore.
Richard Simmons' Motivational Speech, Ben Adams
36. He Was Investigated
In March 2017, the LAPD did a welfare check. An officer declared that “None of it is true. The fact of the matter is, we went out and talked to him, he is fine, nobody is holding him hostage. He is doing exactly what he wants to do. If he wants to go out in public or see anybody, he will do that”. But even this didn’t convince everyone—and the disturbing speculations continued.
37. He Was Hospitalized
A month later, Richard found himself hospitalized for indigestion. Allegedly. He shared a photo and a reassuring message on Facebook. But it backfired once people noticed it was an old photo. He hadn’t released any current photos or videos of himself in years. They wondered if Richard actually posted it. Then, the speculation reached a fever pitch.
Richard Simmons' Motivational Speech, Ben Adams
38. He Was Stalked
Some took their stalking, sorry investigating, too far. In 2018, Richard sued a private investigator and In Touch Weekly for allegedly planting tracking devices under his car. Then in 2019, Teresa also found tracking devices in her car. They were expensive and sophisticated ones. And the media weren’t done with them yet.
Time Telepictures Television, The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003–2023)
39. He Was Exposed
In 2022, TMZ dropped What Really Happened to Richard Simmons. The documentary claims Richard got a double knee replacement. And that the procedure affected his ability to exercise. According to the tabloid, it was the true reason for Richard's disappearance. Turns out this was closer to the truth than any other theory.
From the archives: Richard Simmons' advice on exercise, CBS Sunday Morning
40. He Called It Quits
Teresa revealed, much later, that Richard’s knees actually were the main culprit. He did get two knee replacements. He was in chronic pain. He couldn’t exercise. In 2014, he confessed to her “I think it's time for me to stop”. She tried to talk him out of it, but Richard didn’t budge—and he had another heartbreaking reason.
Remembering the life, legacy of Richard Simmons, WHAS11
41. He Was Insecure
Teresa also revealed, "He thought he looked too old. He did not want anyone to see him”. He kept telling her “I don't want people to see me. I don't look that beautiful anymore, Teresa”. But few people knew the truth about his health or insecurities. They only had conspiracies and the scraps on social media. And what he finally posted scared them.
Remembering the life, legacy of Richard Simmons, WHAS11
42. He Scared Everyone
In March 2024, Richard shared an alarming Facebook post. He wrote, “I have some news to tell you. Please don’t be sad. I am...dying. 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”. He rushed to clarify, saying, “I am not dying. It was a message about saying how we should embrace every day that we have”. But the very next day he shared something even more horrifying.
Remembering the life, legacy of Richard Simmons, WHAS11
43. He Had A Health Scare
The following day, Richard shocked fans again. He revealed that he’d been diagnosed with skin cancer. He went on to clarify that this happened “so many years ago”. He was sharing this now to encourage people to take care of themselves. A few months later, Richard took the biggest step back into the public. And he shared a secret that everyone spent years anticipating.
Time Telepictures Television, The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003–2023)
44. He Said His Last Words
On July 11, 2024, he did his first interview in a decade with PEOPLE. Richard reflected on his life, and set the record straight on his “disappearance”. He revealed that he still talked to fans, and was working on upcoming projects. Richard even revealed that he does go outside—in a disguise. He felt excited and hopeful about the future. Little did he know, the future was short lived.
When Richard got home, tragedy struck.
From the archives: Richard Simmons' advice on exercise, CBS Sunday Morning
45. He had An Accident
Richard came home, and suffered a devastating fall. He woke up the next day, on his 76th birthday, and realized "I can't go down, my legs hurt a lot". Teresa urged him to go to the hospital, fearing he may have broken his leg. But Richard didn't want to be in the hospital for his birthday. He opted to wait until morning—but by then it was too late.
Remembering the life, legacy of Richard Simmons, WHAS11
46. He Passed
The next morning, Teresa found Richard's lifeless body. Authorities determined that he passed due to complications from the fall. His heart disease was a contributing factor. His passing was tragic—but it wasn’t suspicious. A few weeks later, Teresa spoke with PEOPLE. After years of accusations and silence, she could finally tell the truth.
Remembering the life, legacy of Richard Simmons, WHAS11
47. His Ending Was Bittersweet
Teresa didn’t just reveal the truth about his disappearance. She began sobbing in the middle of the interview. They offered to speak to her later, but she replied “No, I want to celebrate Richard”. He spent his final days doing everything he loved, from calling fans to feeding the neighborhood skunks. She’s at peace because “Everything happened the way he wanted...I'm very happy because Richard was really, very happy. He died very happy”.
Time Telepictures Television, The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003–2023)
48. He Was Devoted
Teresa discovered that Richard bought two burial plots. One was for him, and the other was for her. She rejected the idea at first. Then she gave it some more thought: “Richard took me in, all those years ago. And he became like my father. He loved me before I loved him”. Teresa decided they’ll be together forever after all.
Richard Simmons’ HAUNTING Final Post Before His Death at 76, extratv
49. He Loved Her
Teresa remembered how Richard showed his love for her through gifts. In 1999, he went home to New Orleans after his mom passed. He came back with a gift for her, and said: “This ring is the first ring that I bought my mother when I got my first check. And I want you to have that”. Then in 2024, he surprised her with a diamond pin for their anniversary. She asked "Why? Our anniversary is not for a few weeks". He told her "Because I want to do it now". Strangely enough, a few days later, Richard had his fall.
Richard Simmons’ HAUNTING Final Post Before His Death at 76, extratv
50. He Was Buried
Richard was buried in Los Angeles—with a surprise. Richard’s brother revealed they buried him in his signature workout outfit. Lenny explained “Why, you ask? Because we think that God has another plan for him and we want to make sure that he was going to be in his normal costume that we all know and love, to help the saints and the angels get into shape”.
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Bennett Raglin, Getty ImagesSources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
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