Fitness guru Richard Simmons shared a cryptic post Monday saying, “I am ... dying” while encouraging people to eat healthy and “hug” their loved ones.
He later clarified, saying he is not dying and apologizing for any confusion.
Simmons, 75, the fitness coach known for his eccentric personality and “Sweatin’ to the Oldies” workout videos, wrote Monday morning on Facebook and X that he had some news.
"Please don’t be sad. I am ... dying,” he said in the post. "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."
He continued: “Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to enjoy your life to the fullest every single day. Get up in the morning and look at the sky ... count your blessings and enjoy."
Simmons then encouraged his followers to start the day with a healthy meal and exercise.
“There is something else very important that you must do. Tell the ones that you love that you love them. Hug those people and children who you really care for. A big hug really goes a long way,” he added.
“If you have time I want you to listen to a terrific song. It is by Tim McGraw it is called Live Like You Were Dying. Live today and don’t forget to pray,” he concluded his post.
On Monday afternoon, Simmons posted an update.
"Sorry many of you have gotten upset about my message today. Even the press has gotten in touch with me. I am not dying," he wrote. "It was a message about saying how we should embrace every day that we have."
NBC News was among the outlets that asked Simmons for comment.
Once a frequent presence on TV, Simmons has been a recluse since 2014.
In January, he spoke up about a coming biopic about his life starring actor and comedian Pauly Shore, which Simmons said he never gave permission for.
“I have never given my permission for his movie. So don’t believe everything you read,” he wrote on Facebook at the time. “I no longer have a manager, and I no longer have a publicist. I just try to live a quiet life and be peaceful. Thank you for all your love and support."
Since his post about the biopic, Simmons has been writing with relative frequency on social media — offering motivational messages and sharing stories about moments and people who have affected his life. The posts have delved into topics like his childhood in New Orleans, racial segregation, fitness and his family.
He has also released several songs on YouTube, which he said in a post this month that he wrote with his partners, Chris and Kathy Phillips. "Most people have never heard them,” Simmons wrote.
