Richard Simmons Shares Special Voice Message with Fans for the First Time in Years
“A little message to make you smile!” the fitness guru said
Richard Simmons is sharing a special message for his fans.
On May 6, the 75-year-old posted a video on YouTube telling his supporters how much he loves them — his first voice message in several years.
“Hi everybody, it’s Richard!” he said in the clip, which featured a cartoon version of Simmons holding a megaphone. “Thank you so much for reading my messages. Roses are red, violets are blue. Do you know how much I love you? Have a beautiful day. Bye for now.”
“A little message to make you smile!” he added in the caption.
Simmons also tells PEOPLE exclusively, “I just wanted to thank everyone for their continued love and support.”
In recent months, Simmons has shared numerous inspirational messages on social media. In a lengthy Facebook post on March 18, he offered tips for keeping a healthy diet and active lifestyle while encouraging his fans to “enjoy your life to the fullest.”
“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 wrote at the time. “Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to enjoy your life to the fullest every single day. Get up in the morning and look at the sky… count your blessings and enjoy.”
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In the post, Simmons stressed the importance of having three healthy meals a day, including a dessert “once in a while.”
“One healthy day of eating will lead to the next…and the next,” he said.
The fitness guru also encouraged his fans to stay active as much as possible, promoting his workout videos available on YouTube. “Every day that you are alive you have got to move. Whether it is standing or sitting you have got to move your body every day. Start with stretching then cardio and strength,” Simmons continued.
“There is something else very important that you must do,” he ended. “Tell the ones that you love that you love them. Hug those people and children who you really care for. A big hug really goes a long way. If you have time I want you to listen to a terrific song. It is by Tim McGraw it is called Live Like You Were Dying. Live today and don’t forget to pray.”
Simmons received tons of praise for the advice in the comments section. Despite the alarming comment about “dying,” a longtime friend of the star tells PEOPLE that Simmons is “healthy and happy,” noting that the post was “purely an inspirational message."
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