Cause of death of fitness guru Richard Simmons announced

More than a month after Richard Simmons was found dead in his Los Angeles home, the cause of death has been announced.

The fitness guru's death was an accident, with “complications from recent falls” and heart disease contributing factors, the family spokesperson told People and ABC News after Simmons' brother Lenny received a call from the Los Angeles County Coroner. In addition to the medications prescribed to Simmons, the toxicology report was also negative, the statement said.

Simmons' longtime housekeeper found him dead on July 13, one day after his 76th birthday. Although authorities did not suspect foul play, the cause of death was initially postponed pending the completion of the investigation and necessary additional tests. Los Angeles police told Scripps News that the case could not be officially closed until the medical examiner's final decision was made.

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Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Simmons spent the first 18 years of his life in the French Quarter with his mother, a dancer, his father, a presenter, and his brother, with whom he shared a room, the Historic New Orleans Collection museum wrote in a history of his life.

In 1974, he opened a gym called Slimmons in Beverly Hills, California, aimed at people who might be hesitant to work out in the presence of already fit people, according to a report on IMDB.

Simmons became a household name, selling several books he wrote and millions of fitness DVDs and videos promoting a healthy and positive lifestyle. He also starred in various television shows, including four years on the popular soap opera “General Hospital,” and was a frequent guest on late-night talk shows.

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However, more than a decade ago, Simmons retired from the public eye, closed his gym, and was largely out of the public eye for years. Still, he kept in touch with his fans through social media. In one of his last known messages, he thanked his followers for their birthday wishes.

Two days before his death, Simmons spoke humbly about the legacy he would leave behind in an interview with People.

“I'm grateful to be here and to be alive for another day,” he told the publication. “I'm going to spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is helping people.”