Celebrity former fitness and weight loss guru Richard Simmons has come forward with some alarming news this week, informing fans around the world that he received a skin cancer diagnosis, as Fox News reports.
The revelation comes on the heels of a cryptic social media post from the enigmatic 75-year-old which, as Entertainment Weekly noted, implied to many that he was on the verge of death.
It was on Tuesday that Simmons took to Facebook in an attempt to clarify his personal situation and inform the public of his recent health challenges.
Poetically launching into a discussion of his skin cancer findings, Simmons wrote, “Mirror mirror on the wall what's that blemish which is so small?”
He went on, “There was this strange looking bump under my right eye. I had a tube of neosporin which I would put on in the morning and the evening...it was still there. It was time to call my dermatologist.
Conveying the feeling of concerned suspense he felt in the doctor's office, Simmons added, “I sat in his chair and he looked at it through a magnifying mirror. He told me he would have to scrape it and put it under the microscope.”
“He comes back about 20 minutes after and says the C word. You have cancer,” Simmons declared. “I asked him what kind of cancer and he said Basal Cell Carcinoma....”
Simmons' honest explanation of his personal situation came a day after a mysterious Facebook post in which he said, “I have some news to tell you. Please don't be sad. I am...dying.”
However he went on to write, “The truth is we are all dying. Every day we live we are getting closer to our death, his words had sparked an outcry of worry among fans who have loved the former diet and exercise authority for decades.
That reaction prompted Simmons to later explain, “Sorry many of you have gotten upset about my message today.”
“Even the press has gotten in touch with me. I am not dying. It was a message about saying how we should embrace every day that we live. Sorry for this confusion,” he wrote.
Bolstering that assertion was a statement from Simmons' own spokesperson, Tom Estey, who said, “I can confirm with 100 percent certainty that Richard is not dying. He's, in fact, very healthy and happy. The sole purpose of the post was meant to be inspirational.”
As the UK, Mirror noted last year, Simmons has not made a public appearance since 2014, but on the occasion of his 75th birthday, he permitted the issuance of a statement assuring fans of his happiness and well-being.
Though Simmons this week described the painful treatment he has already undergone to remove cancerous tissue, his millions of admirers across the globe are assuredly praying for the mercurial, yet lovable, Sweatin' to the Oldies stalwart to make a full recovery and to continue to enjoy the quiet, private lifestyle he appears to have built for himself.
