Richard Simmons wrote in a bizarre Facebook post on Monday that he’s “dying,” before backpedaling the statement a few lines later.
“I have some news to tell you,” the reclusive fitness guru began. “Please don’t be sad. I am … dying. Oh I can see your faces now.”
Simmons, 75, then sharply reversed course.
“The truth is we are all dying. Every day we live we are getting closer to our death.”
Simmons’ publicist Tom Estey told The Post, “I can confirm with 100 percent certainty that Richard is not dying. He’s, in fact, very healthy and happy. The sole purpose of the post was meant to be inspirational.”
The “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” star posts almost daily on the social media platform, often with long, personal stories about his life.
In his entry on Monday, Simmons also gave diet tips (“whole wheat toast” and “eggs once or twice a week”) and exercise ideas (“before you go to bed do a little stretching”).
He then implored his fans to listen to the song “Live Like You Were Dying” by country singer Tim McGraw.
In 2014, Simmons largely disappeared from public view, leading to speculation that, among other far-out theories, he’d been kidnapped by his housekeeper.
After that claim was made on the “Missing Richard Simmons” podcast, his rep said that the story put forward by Simmons’ friend Mauro Oliveira was a “complete load of crap.”
Estey told People magazine that Simmons simply wished to be out of the spotlight.
After the 2022 documentary “TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons” claimed the star suffered from a birth defect, his rep said in a statement: “Richard is eternally grateful for the continuous outpouring of love and gratitude he has received from across the Globe. He is happy, healthy and living the life he has chosen to live.”