Richard Simmons shared haunting final social media post five hours before his death

The late Richard Simmons posted a ‘haunting’ eight-word sentiment on social media hours before his eventual death.

Yesterday (July 13), a representative of celebrity fitness instructor Milton Teagle ‘Richard’ Simmons confirmed the legend had died a day after celebrating his 76th birthday.

The Los Angeles Police Department responded to an emergency call from Simmons’ housekeeper at around 10am on Saturday (July 13) and pronounced the fitness guru dead at the scene, as reported by ABC.

“The world has truly lost an angel," Simmons’ publicist Tom Estey later told PEOPLE.

Sources claim that no foul play is suspected and that the star appeared to have died of natural causes, despite announcing earlier this year that he was ‘dying’.

Taking to Facebook in March, the Louisiana-born personality wrote: “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.”

At the time of the cryptic message, he clarified that he wasn’t actually close to death but that he wanted to encourage fans to ‘embrace every day that we have’.

Ahead of Simmons’ death in California, he took to social media on Friday (July 12) to thank fans for sending him well wishes on his birthday.

“Thank you…I never got so many messages about my birthday in my life! I am sitting here writing emails. Have a most beautiful rest of your Friday. Love, Richard,” he typed.

The following day, Simmons posted for the last time on his X account - thought to be around five hours before his death.

Messaging his 70,7000 followers, the late exercise enthusiast wrote: “Hello gorgeous! Please don’t rain on my parade.”

Hello gorgeous! Please don’t rain on my parade. pic.twitter.com/Wvh1WvMAqT

— Richard Simmons (@TheWeightSaint) July 13, 2024

Following the post, fans have come out in their droves to pay their respects.

One X user wrote: “Yikes! 5 hrs. ago posting messages & gone just like that. You seriously never know.”

Another typed: “Umm, this is haunting if this post was shortly before you passed. Rest in peace.”

A third user shared their own theory on the post and commented: “Maybe this post was his way of saying goodbye.”

“See you in Heaven, Richard,” penned someone else. “I’ll be looking for you and we are sooo dancing to the oldies together - thank you for all you did and all you showed us.”

Another fan said: “Always on your terms and forever an icon.”

Simmons announced in March 2024 that he’d been diagnosed with skin cancer - just one day after his ‘dying’ Facebook post.

At the time, he revealed he’d noticed a blemish under his eye and decided to see a dermatologist about it.

"He comes back about 20 minutes later and says the ‘C’ word. You have cancer," Simmons wrote.

"I asked him what kind of cancer and he said. Basal Cell Carcinoma. I told him to stop calling me dirty names. He laughed.”

Basal Cell Carcinoma is a type of skin cancer that often appears as a transparent bump on your head and neck, as per Mayo Clinic.

Simmons claimed he’d gone to see Dr. Ralph A. Massey twice so that the cancer cells could be removed.

"I know some of you reading this have had cancer or have known someone in your life who has had cancer," he concluded. "Promise me you will see your doctor and get a complete check up.”