Richard Simmons Details Cancer Diagnosis After Worrying Post About 'Dying'

Richard Simmons

After worrying his fans when he shared an update on Monday, March 18, saying, "Please don’t be sad. I am ….dying," Richard Simmons revealed that he has been diagnosed with skin cancer.

The 75-year-old took to Facebook on Tuesday, March 19, to explain his health situation with an eloquent message that started with, "Mirror mirror on the wall what’s that blemish which is so small?"

Simmons described a small bump near his eye that wasn't going away, leading him to visit a dermatologist. The doctor investigated the spot and told him he had skin cancer.

The TV personality kept his sense of humor, writing, "I asked him what kind of cancer and he said. Basel [sic] Cell Carcinoma. I told him to stop calling me dirty names. He laughed."

Next, he recalled visiting a cancer specialist who had to "burn my skin to remove the cancer cells." Simmons said that the doctor wasn't able to remove it all during the first round of treatment, so they did the same procedure again.

He didn't share a clear message about his current health status regarding the skin cancer, ending the update, "to be continued…" Hopefully, the fitness coach will continue letting fans know how his treatment goes.

The 75-year-old received plenty of support and encouragement in the comments, with many praising him for going to the doctor to get the spot checked out in the first place.

Highlighting Simmons' style of writing, one wrote, " I am truly hoping the continuation is a happy ending. You are one of the best story tellers, and the details you remember are phenomenal."

"I’ll come hold your hand if that will help? It’s always better to have a friend," replied another kind fan.

In his initial message on Monday about dying, Simmons told everyone to "enjoy your life to the fullest every single day." He updated soon after to clarify, "I am not dying," explaining that he simply wanted to encourage people to "embrace every day." 

Simmons has been out of the spotlight for a while now, taking a break from social media throughout 2023. The fitness icon returned to speak with fans in January 2024 to address reports of a biopic in development, and since then, he has regularly shared notes with his fans about a variety of subjects.

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