By Samir Suri, Eve Buckland and Carly Johnson on Dailymail.com
July 20, 2024 04:12, updated July 20, 2024 04:38
Fitness guru Richard Simmons’ grave was piled high with pink roses after he was laid to rest this week, according to exclusive photos obtained by DailyMail.com.
He was found dead on Saturday, July 13, at the age of 76, after falling in the bathroom of his Los Angeles home the night before.
Police have launched an investigation into his death, but the cause of death has yet to be made public.
Simmons was buried at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Funeral Home, where stars such as Kirk Douglas and Marilyn Monroe are buried.
This Friday, his headstone was completely obscured by a large pile of roses that had been placed at the cemetery in his memory.
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Listed as a “health promoter” on his death certificate, Simmons joins the ranks of top entertainers buried at Pierce Brothers Cemetery.
Famous people buried in the cemetery include “Splendor in the Grass” star Natalie Wood, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner and Rat Pack singer Dean Martin.
Also in attendance will be Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, stars of “The Odd Couple,” as well as pop musician Roy Orbison and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” author Truman Capote.
Sitcom stars Don Knotts, Doris Roberts, Eva Gabor and Florence Henderson are buried in Pierce Brothers Cemetery, as are movie stars Burt Lancaster and George C. Scott.
Beloved stand-up comedian Rodney Dangerfield, Charlie’s Angels pin-up actress Farrah Fawcett, and jazz greats Peggy Lee and Mel Tormé are also buried here.
The cemetery, which contains the remains of many private citizens and public figures, has operated under various names since the late 19th century.
Simmons’ death certificate, obtained by TMZ, did not list a cause of death, indicating that the cause of death is still under investigation.
The TV star, who stayed out of the spotlight in his later years, was single at the time of his death.
Although he never publicly commented on his sexual orientation, he was a respected gay icon.
“The LAPD is not investigating as if foul play occurred at this time,” a police source told People magazine on Thursday.
Simmons’ tentative cause of death was released by the Los Angeles Fire Department on Monday after it was confirmed that police were investigating the case.
A statement said Simmons died of “apparently natural causes.”
“On July 13th, 2024 at 9:55am, the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a suspected fatality incident in the 1300 block of N. Belfast Drive,” LA Fire Department Captain Eric Scott told Entertainment Tonight.
“One ambulance arrived on scene and found a 76-year-old man who was pronounced dead by firefighters and paramedics at the scene from apparent natural causes, so transport to hospital was not required,” he concluded.
Police officers and firefighters were dispatched to Simmons’ Los Angeles home after receiving a call from Simmons’ housekeeper.
Simmons was found dead the day after celebrating his 76th birthday.
Police officials confirmed to People on Monday that Simmons’ death remains under investigation and that the case has been postponed pending further investigation and testing by the coroner’s office, the paper reported.
The media outlet said the review could take up to three months before a formal ruling is made.
Authorities pronounced Simmons dead at the scene, the report said, adding that no foul play was suspected in his death, which will be investigated as a result of natural causes.
According to the media, officers from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division were also called in due to the death of a prominent figure.
Police later told the outlet that Mr Simmons had fallen in the bathroom at his home on Friday, his 76th birthday, and that a housekeeper had tried to persuade him to seek immediate medical help.
Simmons declined, saying it was her birthday and she didn’t want to go anywhere, but said she might go on Saturday. The housekeeper helped Simmons safely back to her bedroom, and found her lying on the floor the next morning around 10 a.m., according to the outlet.
One source told the outlet that Simmons had said he “felt dizzy” before the fall, while another said “Simmons showed no visible signs of injury” after the fall.
It was not immediately clear whether the fall and dizziness were related to his death.
Simmons gave an emotional interview to People magazine on Thursday, just two days before his death, in which he thanked his legions of devoted fans.
At the end of the interview, the fitness mogul was asked if he understands the affection his fans have for him, after being told by media that he’d “got lonely” by keeping a low profile for the past decade.
“I know you all miss me,” Simmons told the outlet, “and I miss you all too, but we can still connect through phone calls and emails.”
In her final interview, Simmons also opened up about hiding her appearance in public.
“I do leave the house sometimes,” Simmons said, “but I’m in disguise.”
The outlet reported that the interview shortly before Simmons’ death was his first since he disappeared from public view in 2014.
The New Orleans-born star was a regular on television promoting his fitness industry endeavors, including studios, books, weight-loss programs and videos, but he has been the subject of speculation and speculation about his safety and health in the decade since he was last seen in public.
A source close to the deceased told the outlet that the reason for his withdrawal from public life was the knee surgery he had undergone and a second knee surgery which he refused to undergo.
Simmons told People magazine on Thursday that she had a skin cancer scare after undergoing surgery to remove some skin cancer earlier this year.
“Basal cell carcinoma was scary,” Simmons said of the disease, “but it didn’t come back.”
Simmons told the outlet that he tries to spread optimism and positivity to people dealing with similar health issues.
“There are so many people out there who have cancer,” Simmons said. “I call them and sing to them: ‘You’re going to get through this. You just have to believe.'”
Simmons told the outlet that he had been collaborating with composer Patrick Leonard on the musical in recent months.
“I wrote 14 songs for the Broadway show,” he said, “and I’m working with a wonderful guy called Patrick Leonard. I don’t know if you know his name, but he’s written songs for Madonna and Elton John. He’s one of the big artists.”
“We talk two or three times a week. I write the lyrics and he writes the music. The whole show is about my life, from when I was a kid selling pralines in a candy shop in New Orleans to when I decided to retire.”
Simmons had been slowly re-establishing his public persona earlier this year, communicating with fans on X/Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and via email.
He told People magazine on Thursday: “It’s a beautiful day, but nothing out of the ordinary. I woke up this morning, said a prayer, counted my blessings and then headed to work.”
“You know what? And then I’ll write them a message, or I’ll reply to their email, or if the email is terrible I’ll get their phone number and call them. It makes me feel good because I’m helping people.”
His final social media post, made on Saturday, was a quote from the 1968 musical comedy “Funny Girl.”
Asked about his low-key interactions with fans, Simmons said his measure of success is the number of people he has helped and inspired.
“Well, I decided to retire because my body was telling me I needed to retire,” Simmons said. “I took some time to reflect on my life — the books I’ve written, the videos, everything.”
“I never thought, ‘Oh, look what I’ve done.’ I thought, ‘Oh, look how many people I’ve helped.'”
