LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has released the official cause of death for fitness legend Richard Simmons, deeming it an accident and the result of “blunt traumatic injuries” from an earlier fall.
The medical examiner’s report confirms what Simmons’ family told People magazine last week.
Simmons was found unresponsive on his bedroom floor on the morning of July 13, and time of death was determined as 9:45 a.m.
The 76-year-old had experienced a fall on July 11 and spent the following day — his birthday — in bed, the medical examiner said on Aug. 22.
“I feel good! I am grateful that I’m here, that I am alive for another day. I’ll spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is to help people,” Simmons told People shortly before his birthday.
The medical examiner’s report also noted that “Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease,” a form of heart disease, was a contributing factor.
A toxicology report showed the presence of “diphenhydramine, trazodone, and zolpidem,” but those were not considered to have contributed to the cause of death.
After spending years as a ubiquitous figure on television, Simmons had retreated from public appearances in recent years amid rampant speculation about his health.
His brother Lenny, through a spokesperson, had told People on Aug. 21, “The family wishes to thank everyone for their outpouring of love and support during this time of great loss.”
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