Richard Simmons is clarifying his previous comments about dying.
On Monday, the fitness guru, 75, reassured his fans that he’s not dying after he shared a lengthy Facebook post about death and living life to the fullest earlier in the day.
“Sorry many of you have gotten upset about my message today. Even the press has gotten in touch with me. I am not dying,” he wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter)
“It was a message about saying how we should embrace every day that we have. Sorry for this confusion,” he added before signing off the post with, “Love, Richard.”
“We are just happy to hear from you,” one fan commented, while another added, “I understood your message. Thank you.”
A longtime friend of Simmons also told PEOPLE on Monday that the star is “healthy and happy,” explaining that the post was “purely an inspirational message.”
Simmons’ previous post on Facebook read, “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. “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.”
He also emphasized the need to have three healthy meals each day, as well as having dessert “once in a while.”
“One healthy day of eating will lead to the next…and the next,” he continued.
He then encouraged people to stay active as much as possible and suggested trying his workout videos on his YouTube channel. “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 added.
“There is something else very important that you must do,” he continued. “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.”
