Richard Simmons, the man who brought joy and fitness to many people around the world, died on July 13, 2024, one day after his 76th birthday. The official cause of death was later determined to be “sequelae of blunt traumatic injuries,” with arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease listed as a contributing condition. The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner ruled his death an accident. According to the medical examiner, Simmons had experienced a fall on July 11, spent the next day in bed, and was found unresponsive on his bedroom floor on the morning of July 13.
Now, several years later, ABC News Studios is revisiting Simmons’ life, private final years, and sudden death in The Mystery of Richard Simmons: A Diane Sawyer Special, airing Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 9/8c on ABC. The special will stream the next day on Disney+ and Hulu.