Richard Simmons celebrated his 76th birthday on Friday and said he was “grateful” to be “alive.”
In a rare interview, the fitness guru, who retired from the spotlight a decade ago, told People magazine that she plans to blow out the candles to mark the occasion.
“But the candle will probably be on top of the zucchini,” Simmons said, “because, as you know, I’m a vegetarian.”
Richard Simmons celebrates his 76th birthday. (Rodrigo Vaz/Getty Images)
When asked how it felt to turn 76, Simmons replied, “I feel great!”
Richard Simmons reveals skin cancer diagnosis
“I’m grateful to be here and to be alive another day,” he continued. “I’m going to spend my birthday helping people, like I do every day.”
Simmons already has big plans for next year, a rep told Fox News Digital: “Sweating to the Oldies” The instructor is working on a Broadway musical and has partnered with renowned producer and composer Patrick Leonard, who has previously worked with music icons such as Madonna, Elton John, Bon Jovi and Michael Jackson, to compose the music.
The former “Richard Simmons Show” host’s birthday celebration came months after he had a health scare. Simmons has largely disappeared from the public eye, but he has continued to stay in touch with fans on social media and share updates about his life.
Simmons revealed to his followers in March that he’d been diagnosed with skin cancer, posting on Facebook detailing the moment he found out about his diagnosis and the procedure he underwent to remove the cancerous cells.
The fitness guru said she was “grateful” to “live another day.” (Bobby Bank/WireImage)
“Mirror mirror, what is that little mark? I had a weird bump under my right eye. I put a tube of Neosporin on it morning and night… and it was still there. Time to call a dermatologist,” Simmons wrote in the lengthy post.
“I sat in his chair and he examined it with a magnifying glass. He said he had to scrape it and examine it under a microscope. Now I’m a little nervous.”
“He came back about 20 minutes later and said the C-word: You have cancer,” he continued. “I asked him what cancer and he said Basel cell carcinoma. I told him to stop calling me dirty names. He laughed.”
Simmons said he was advised to seek treatment from an “oncologist” as soon as possible.
The former fitness coach visited Dr. Ralph A. Massey and underwent surgery in which doctors used a small instrument to “burn” his skin and “remove the cancer cells.”
“Tears ran down my cheeks as he began to burn my skin,” Simmons wrote. “He wiped my tears away because I couldn’t cry during that time. My skin really hurt from the burn. It lasted about 30 minutes.”
Ms Simmons said she was asked to return in “an hour and a half” to see if the cancer had been successfully removed.
“After a drive around the city, I remembered the sad news,” he concluded. “I couldn’t tell you the whole story. He burned my face again, this time worse than before, even more serious. This time I didn’t cry, but gritted my teeth. ‘Come back in an hour and a half’… To be continued…”
The next day, Simmons gave her fans a positive update on Facebook. “Third time’s a charm,” she wrote, adding that doctors had told her “all of the cancer cells have been removed.”
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He explained that doctors then stitched up his face and “it took about 45 minutes, but we’re done.”
“I don’t have any scars thanks to his excellent care,” Simmons added of the doctor.
Simmons ended her post by urging her fans to be proactive about their health.
“I’m sure some of you reading this have had cancer or know someone close to you who has. I urge you to make a commitment to see your doctor and get a thorough evaluation,” he wrote.
The day after leaving fans worried, Simmons Shared a cryptic message “I have something to let you know: don’t be sad. I am about to die,” she posted on Facebook.
He added: “Oh, I see your faces. The truth is, we are all dying. Every day we live we come closer to death.”
Simmons continued posting with questions.
“Why am I telling you this? It’s because I want you to live life to the fullest, every day. Wake up in the morning and look up at the sky… Count your blessings and enjoy them.”
Simmons previously revealed that he had been diagnosed with skin cancer, but has since revealed that the cancerous cells have been successfully removed. (Getty Images)
He also shared recommendations for living a healthy lifestyle, including the advice to “have dessert every once in a while.”
“There’s one other thing that’s really important that you all do,” he added. “Tell your loved ones that you love them. Hug the people and kids that you really care about. A big hug really goes a long way.”
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In an interview with People magazine, Simmons said she plans to celebrate her birthday with a little dessert.
“Okay, okay. Maybe a Pepperidge Farm Milano cookie,” Simmons said. “But just one.”
Fox News Digital’s Christina Dugan Ramirez contributed to this report.
