In an interview days before he died, Richard Simmons reflected on his life, his legacy and his relationship with his fans.
The fitness icon spoke to People on July 11 -- just a day before he turned 76 and two days before he was found dead at his home -- about how he had continued to help people despite becoming reclusive in recent years.
Fitness guru Richard Simmons dead at 76"Today is a beautiful day," he told the outlet. "But nothing's really different. I got up this morning. I said my prayers, I counted my blessings, and then I went to work. You know? And writing messages, answering emails -- and when the email is real extreme, I ask for their numbers, and I call them."
He added, "I'm feeling great, 'cause I'm helping people."
Simmons, who said his desire to help others was instilled in him by his parents, said that though he may have retired, he never stopped doing what he loved.
"When I decided to retire, it was because my body told me I needed to retire," he said. "I have spent time just reflecting on my life. All of the books I wrote, the videos. I never was like, 'Oh look what I've done.' My thing was, 'Oh, look how many people I helped.'"
While many would deem Simmons a celebrity, he said he "never" thought of himself as one.
"People don't know this, I'm really a shy person and a little bit of an introvert. But when that curtain goes up that's a different story. I'm there to make people happy," he said. "But the accolades I get from emails. I mean, today most probably, we'll answer over 100 emails."
Simmons continued, "And they'll say, 'I'm your No. 1 fan.' And I just write back, and I say, you know, 'Don't say that because I'm a human being just like you. And I know that you do good things, too.'"
