Inside Richard Simmons’ Final Workout Class: 'Something Wasn't Right'

Gabrielle Olya
Updated

Even though Richard Simmons gave no warning that he was going to stop teaching at his famed Beverly Hills Slimmons Studio in February 2014, regulars at his last Saturday class could sense that something was different when the fitness guru showed up that day.

“He just didn’t seem like himself and we had a feeling something wasn’t right,” Ava Minett, one half of the Double Time Twins and a regular at Simmons’ workout classes, tells PEOPLE.

Even though “he looked like Richard,” arriving to class in signature Simmons style with a red tank top and matching red shorts, Minett says he seemed off.

#richardsimmons has been out of the public eye for over 3 years and there's a NEW #PODCAST about it called "Missing Richard Simmons" which is currently the #1 podcast on #iTunes Episodes 1, 2 and 3 have already been released and There's 3 more to come! You can also listen to it on MissingRichardSimmons.com. Thank you so much to the producer Dan Taberski for putting this together and for having us be apart of itWe used to take Richard's class every week and we were in the last class he ever taughtDuring class his energy seemed off...he didn't crack any jokes, didn't smile and just didn't seem present at allWe spoke with him after class, like we always did, and we just knew something wasn't right. The Richard Simmon's spark, energy and enthusiasm we all knew and loved was goneThis whole situation is just crazy and so sad! Where ever he is we hope he's happy and okDan said the goal of this podcast "isn't to drag him back, it's to find out why someone like him would ditch the world" Check it out on iTunes or Go to MissingRichardSimmons.com #sweatintotheoldies #theoneandonly #missingrichardsimmons

A post shared by DoubleTimeTwins (@doubletimetwins_) on Mar 1, 2017 at 4:00pm PST

“He missed his talk’ before class, he was late, he didn’t make many jokes,” she says. “His energy was different - like he wasn’t physically present in the room with us.”

At the end of the class, Simmons gave no indication that that Saturday afternoon class would be his last.

  • What happened to Richard Simmons? Close family and friends give PEOPLE the real scoop on the beloved fitness guru’s mindset during his three years out of the spotlight in the latest issue, on stands Friday.

“Everything was business as usual,” says Minett. “[My sister and I] asked him how he was doing after class before we left, and he said everything was fine, but you know when you just know that something isn’t right? We just knew.”

RELATED VIDEO: Simmons Sayings: 6 Quotable Richard Simmons Moments

Minett vividly recalls what ended up being their last goodbye.

“We gave each other hugs and kisses and said, We’ll see you next Saturday Richard!’ and he said, Yes girls,’ and gave us another hug. And that was it.”

This article was originally published on PEOPLE.com

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