Richard Simmons' brother says fitness icon died from 'recent falls, heart disease'
LOS ANGELES - Richard Simmons' brother, Lenny, said his brother's death in July was due to a combination of factors, Fox News Digital confirmed.
"This morning, Richard Simmons' brother Lenny, received a call from the LA Coroner's office," the Simmons family spokesperson, Tom Estey, said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
"The Coroner informed Lenny that Richard's death was accidental due to complications from recent falls and heart disease as a contributing factor. The toxicology report was negative other than medication Richard had been prescribed."
Simmons died at his home in Los Angeles on July 13, one day after his birthday. He was 76.
"The family wishes to thank everyone for their outpouring of love and support during this time of great loss," Estey said.
The Department of Medical Examiner's Office told Fox News Digital that an official cause of death has not been finalized.
Shortly after he died, Simmons' cause of death was listed under investigation by the L.A. County Medical Examiner's Office.
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His official cause of death has been deferred, meaning that an investigation as well as additional testing are needed before a conclusive explanation for his death can be given.
"Other significant conditions" were listed as a cause of death, and Simmons' case was still "open." His place of death was listed as "residence."
"Officers responded to a death investigation," Los Angeles Police Department officials confirmed to Fox News Digital. "There is no foul play."
His longtime caretaker, Teresa Reveles, found the fitness icon in his bedroom on the day that he died.
"When I saw him, he looked peaceful," Reves told People magazine before noting that his hands were balled into fists. "That’s why I know it was a heart attack."
She added, "I had a heart attack a few years ago, and my hands did the same."
The day before he died, on his 76th birthday, Teresa said Richard's leg was hurting from a fall the previous day.
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She told him, "Let’s go to the hospital. Maybe you broke your leg." Simmons protested, "No, Teresa, not on my birthday. Why [don't we] wait, and we do it in the morning?"
"But in the morning it was too late," Reveles said.
Fox News Digital's Larry Fink contributed to this report.