Richard Simmons offered his fans an update on his health, days after sharing a cryptic Facebook post contemplating his mortality.
The reclusive fitness guru, 75, revealed on Tuesday that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer and received treatment to kill the cancer cells. Simmons detailed finding “a strange looking lump under my right eye” in a pair of Facebook posts.
The self-proclaimed “Weight Saint” said he scheduled an appointment with his dermatologist, who examined the lump and determined it was “the C word,” specifically “basel.” [sic] cell carcinoma”.
“I told him to stop calling me names,” Simmons recalled the interaction. “The river.”
The Mayo Clinic says basal cell carcinomas are a type of skin cancer that is believed to be “caused by prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight.” The cancer affects the basal cells, which produce new skin cells and often appear as a clear bump on the skin.
After receiving his diagnosis, Simmons said he saw a specialist who could remove the cancer cells. As part of the treatment, the specialist “explained to me that he has to burn my skin,” Simmons recalled.
“There was no numbness, it just had to be done with a small instrument,” he wrote, later adding: “The burning really hurt my skin.”
Simmons, who disappeared from the public eye in 2014, said she underwent several sessions on the same day to remove all the cancer cells. The fitness personality, after receiving “a little Frankenstein patch under my right eye” following surgery, said his own experience with cancer prompted him to reflect on those of his loved ones. He concluded his post by asking fans to “promise me that you'll see his doctor and get a full checkup.”
Studio founder Slimmons, known for his high-energy workout videos and wide smile, shared his cancer revelation after telling his devoted fans “I'm…dying” in a Facebook post shared earlier this week . He urged his followers to enjoy “their lives to the fullest,” eat whole, healthy meals, and, of course, exercise. He also encouraged his followers to “tell your loved ones that you love them.”
“Hug those people and children that you really care about. A big hug really helps a lot,” she said, before recommending the Tim McGraw song “Live Like You Were Dying.”
In the comments, concerned fans expressed their love for Simmons and praised him for his lively spirit. “You keep me going Richard,” one fan wrote.
After her initial creepy post circulated the internet, Simmons shared another statement on Tuesday clarifying, “I'm not going to die.”
“It was a message about how we should take advantage of every day we have,” he said. “I'm sorry for this confusion.”
Simmons, who built his fitness empire in the 1980s and 1990s, has kept his followers informed through Facebook since he retired from public life a decade ago. His life and vibrant personality will take center stage in a biopic starring Pauly Shore. After news of the film spread in January, Simmons said he is not involved in the project.
“You may have heard that they might be making a movie about me with Pauly Shore,” Simmons wrote in a January post. “I have never given my permission for this film. So don't believe everything you read.”
He added: “I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be at peace. Thank you for all your love and support.”
Times staff writer Jonah Valdez contributed to this report.
