Late Richard Simmons’ House Keeper Reveals His Bizzare ‘Joyful’ Habit

It has been over two weeks since the world lost fitness legend Richard Simmons, but tributes continue to pour in, with the latest coming from his housekeeper.

Teresa Reveles worked for and lived with the wellness expert for 35 years, becoming one of its closest confidantes during his life. She recently opened up about their treasured memories and his final moments in an emotional interview.

Richard Simmons died on July 13, a day after his 76th birthday. He was discovered by his longtime housekeeper, a moment she described as a peaceful passing.

In her first-ever interview after Simmons' passing, Reveles reflected on his legacy and death alongside her memories as one of his closest companions. She described his last days as "Joyful," noting he spent time with the neighborhood skunks.

Every night, a family of skunks visited Simmons' back door in West Hollywood, where he fed them peanuts by hand. He befriended the creatures to the point where Reveles claimed he could touch their noses.

"'Richard! They probably have rabies!' I would tell him," Reveles recalled in her exclusive interview with PEOPLE. She could not stop the emotions from swirling and broke down in tears, confessing she still hadn't come to terms with his death.

"I can't stop crying. I still can't believe what happened," Simmons' longtime confidente said. She refused to stop the interview to honor his memory, adding, "I want to celebrate Richard. He died happy."

Apart from feeding the neighborhood skunks, Reveles revealed Simmons spent his final days calling fans and answering their emails. He planned to participate in an ABC documentary about his life and do an interview with Diane Sawyer.

Simmons also wrote a Broadway musical based on his life; however, things suddenly changed when he fell and went to bed. On the morning of his 76th birthday, he allegedly told Reveles: "Teresa, I can't go down, my legs hurt a lot."

"Let's go to the hospital. Maybe you broke your leg," Reveles replied, but he told her, "No, Teresa. Not on my birthday. Why don't we wait and we do it in the morning."

Although she followed Simmons' wishes, Reveles couldn't help but lament not taking him to the hospital. She recalled the state Simmons' body was in when she discovered him the next morning, saying:

"When I saw him, he looked peaceful. But his hands were balled into fists. That's why I know it was a heart attack. I had a heart attack a few years ago, and my hands did the same."

Reflecting on their decades-long relationship, Reveles claimed Simmons foresaw they would be together until his death. When she began working for him in 1986, he warmly welcomed her, saying:

"Teresa, come in. You are never going to leave. We are going to be together until I die."

In her interview, Reveles shared that one of the reasons for Simmons' withdrawal from the spotlight in 2014 was his appearance. He allegedly told her, "I don't want people to see me. I don't look that beautiful anymore, Teresa."

Despite his insecurities, The Blast reported that the wellness expert's older brother, Lenny, claimed he planned to relaunch his fitness career before his death. He shared the news in an interview, saying:

"I think the way kids are growing up today with their phones and all that, and not getting out… there's a need again, and I think that's why he came out of retirement."

Although Lenny confessed that at 76, he didn't think his brother could keep up with the activities he did in his prime. Nonetheless, he believed the fitness guru's workout videos remain "just as relevant now as they were then."

Days after his death, The Blast shared that Simmons was laid to rest at the Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary in Los Angeles.

Pictures of his gravesite went viral on social media, showing that his final resting place had been adorned with vibrant flowers left by loved ones. The images came at the heels of reports about Simmons' cause of death.

Sources close to the matter claimed the 76-year-old's fall might have contributed to his death. However, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office has not revealed the official cause of his death.

While the mystery behind Richard Simmons' death remains unsolved, fans can continue to honor his memory like Teresa Reveles with heartwarming tributes.