Richard Simmons’s cause of death under investigation

Richard Simmons, the beloved fitness guru, has passed away at the age of 76. His death occurred one day after celebrating his birthday, confirmed by his longtime publicist, Tom Estey, on Saturday, July 13.

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to PEOPLE that Simmons’ cause of death is currently being investigated, although they stated there is no suspicion of foul play. Simmons died at his home in Los Angeles, with authorities responding to a call from a housekeeper around 10 a.m. local time on Saturday.

According to TMZ, the Medical Examiner’s Office mentioned that Simmons’ cause of death has been deferred, meaning further investigation and additional testing are required. It may take up to three months to determine the exact cause of his death.

Simmons, who had not been seen in public since 2014, expressed his thoughts about turning 76 just days before his death. He said, “I am grateful that I’m here, that I am alive for another day. I’ll spend my birthday doing what I do every day, which is to help people.”

Despite his reclusive nature in recent years, Simmons remained connected with his fans through phone calls and emails. In his final interview, he shared, “I know people miss me. And you know what? I miss them, too. But I’m able to reach them through phone calls… and through emails. And I do leave the house sometimes. But I’m in disguise.”

Reflecting on his legacy, Simmons stated, “I never thought of myself as a celebrity. People don’t know this, I’m really a shy person and a little bit of an introvert. But when that curtain goes up that’s a different story. I’m there to make people happy.”

Simmons remained humble despite his impact on the fitness world. He said, “The accolades I get from emails. I mean, today most probably, we’ll answer over 100 emails. And they’ll say, ‘I’m your No. 1 fan.’ And I just write back, and I say, you know, ‘Don’t say that because I’m a human being just like you. And I know that you do good things, too.’”