'I know people miss me': Richard Simmons gave one final interview just days before his death

Just two days before his death aged 76, Richard Simmons gave one final emotional interview dedicated to his fans.

In 2014, Simmons abruptly retired from his career as a fitness personality and, much to the dismay of fans, disappeared from the public eye.

"I know people miss me," he told People just days before his passing. "And you know what? I miss them, too."

READ MORE: Beloved '80s fitness star Richard Simmons dies aged 76.

It wasn't just his fitness empire that made Simmons an icon of his time, he became beloved by fans for his vibrant and fun personality, often referring to himself as a "court jester."

When he was in high school, Simmons was bullied for being overweight, sharing that he developed his sense of humour as a defense mechanism.

"You know, when I first did my videos, I'm sure people thought I was silly and a little bit different," he said. "But they seemed to embrace that I was just an ordinary guy, nothing special about me, except maybe my sense of humor."

Over the years, Simmons became a beacon of hope and light for his fans, with his one goal being to make people happy.

It was a role he took seriously, even after his retirement, still doing his part to help and answering "100 emails daily" from fans.

READ MORE: Richard Simmons' brother speaks out after the '80s fitness star's death.

"I'm telling you, when I did a personal appearance at a shopping mall, if I taught a 45-minute class, then people lined up and they wanted an autograph," he recalled.

"But it wasn't simply that they wanted an autograph. They wanted to tell me their whole story. Because they didn't feel anyone listened to them.

"And I would sit there and hold their hand, and I would do that for maybe three hours until nobody was left."

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