Inside Richard Simmons’ Final Days Before Death – E! Online

“How do you deal with loss?” Richard said, reading the song’s lyrics. “It takes a toll on your heart. Some shed many tears, others stare at the sky. It’s so hard to say goodbye. Here is what I know when it’s time for us to go, beautiful angels will greet us with a smile and a hello.”

Yet, Richard knew his ultimate goal in life was to make those around him smile, as he noted while reflecting on his legacy.

“I’ll always be the court jester,” he said. “I’ll always be fooling around. When the curtain goes up, I’m there to make people happy.” 

And while the wellness guru admitted that he did step back from public life, he took issue with the idea that he disappeared, especially as he maintained relationships with his fans via fan mail, emails and even phone calls to those in need.

“When I decided to retire, it was because my body told me I needed to retire,” he explained. “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.'”