Richard Simmons gave a moving final interview just TWO DAYS before he died: 'I know people miss me'

Richard Simmons acknowledged his legion of adoring fans successful a moving question and reply he gave conscionable 2 days earlier his decease astatine 76 connected Saturday.

Simmons said pinch People Thursday, a time earlier he celebrated his 76th birthday and 2 days anterior to his decease astatine his location successful Los Angeles. 

At nan conclusion of nan interview, nan fittingness impresario was told by nan outlet that he had been 'missed' aft keeping a debased floor plan complete nan past decade, and asked if he understood nan fondness fans had for him.

'I cognize group miss me,' Simmons told nan outlet. 'And you cognize what? I miss them, too. But I'm capable to scope them done telephone calls… and done emails.'

Simmons besides revealed successful his last question and reply that he had emerged into nan nationalist while concealing his appearance.

'I do time off nan location sometimes,' Simmons said. 'But I'm successful disguise.'

The outlet reported that nan question and reply pinch Simmons conscionable anterior to his passing was his first since 2014, nan twelvemonth he stopped making nationalist appearances.

The New Orleans-born star, who had been a staple connected tv promoting his fittingness manufacture endeavors - including studios, books, weight nonaccomplishment programs and videos - had been astatine nan halfway of speculation complete nan past decade aft he ceased making nationalist appearances, spurring speculation astir his information and well-being.

Sources adjacent to nan precocious personage told nan outlet that nan logic he bowed retired of nan nationalist oculus was a knee room he had undergone, and a 2nd room connected nan knee that he had refused to undergo.

Simmons told People connected Thursday that he'd besides had a skin crab scare aft undergoing a process to person it extracted earlier this year.

'Basal compartment carcinoma, it was scary,' Simmons said of nan ailment. 'But it ne'er came back.'

Simmons told nan outlet that he strived to dispersed optimism and positivity to those dealing pinch akin wellness battles.

'So galore group person cancer,' Simmons said. 'I telephone them, I singing to them: "You're gonna get done this. You conscionable person to judge that."'

Simmons told nan outlet he had been collaborating connected a philharmonic pinch composer Patrick Leonard successful caller months.

'I've written 14 songs for a Broadway show,' he said. 'And I'm moving pinch an astonishing man - Patrick Leonard. I don't cognize if you cognize his name, but he wrote euphony for Madonna, Elton John. He's for illustration 1 of nan biggest.

'And we talk a mates of times a week. I constitute nan lyrics, and he writes nan music. The full show is astir my life - from trading pralines successful New Orleans astatine a candy shop erstwhile I was a kid, to erstwhile I decided to retire.'

Simmons had been gradually reemerging into his nationalist persona, communicating connected X/Twitter, Facebook and YouTube earlier this year, and via email pinch his fans.

He told People Thursday, 'Today is simply a beautiful day. But nothing's really different. I sewage up this morning. I said my prayers, I counted my blessings, and past I went to work.

'You know? And penning messages, answering emails - and erstwhile nan email is existent extreme, I inquire for their numbers, and I telephone them. I'm emotion great, origin I'm helping people.'

His final societal media station came connected Saturday, quoting a statement from nan 1968 philharmonic drama Funny Girl.

Simmons was asked astir his low-profile interactions pinch his fans, telling nan outlet that his measurement of occurrence was nan number of group he had provided assistance and inspiration to.

'Well, erstwhile I decided to retire, it was because my assemblage told maine I needed to retire,' Simmons said. 'I person spent clip conscionable reflecting connected my life. All of nan books I wrote, nan videos.

'I ne'er was like, "Oh look what I've done." My point was, "Oh, look really galore group I helped."'