Richard Simmons Feeds a Family of Skunks Peanuts Every Day

Richard Simmons' A happy daily routine before his death included a visit from some furry friends – a family of skunks.

Simmons' housekeeper Teresa Reveles shared that Simmons would hand-feed a family of skunks every night after he arrived at the back door of his apartment in West Hollywood, California, noting that the animals became familiar with Simmons, even touching their noses with a tale of fitness.

“'Richard! They must have rabies!' I was going to tell him,” said Reveles People in an interview published on Monday, July 29.

Reveles lived with Simmons for 35 years, taking care of the home and yard and shopping and cooking for her. Reveles explained that her role was different from that of the housekeeper, another woman who worked for Simmons for 40 years.

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Reveles came to work for him in 1986 through an agency. “I got here and Richard said to me, 'Where are your clothes? Where's your big suitcase?' I said, 'I'm just bringing a small suitcase because I'm only trying this for two weeks. If you don't like me or you don't like my cooking, I can't work,'” she recalled, adding that Simmons told her, “Teresa, come in, you're never going out. We will be together until I die.”

He continued: “And you know what? His dream came true. He somehow knew.”

After Simmons retreated from public life years ago, Reveles recalled the scrutiny he faced. “They say crazy things, that I should lock him in the house. But that was never true,” he said, noting that the two would go undercover.

Reveles said a tracking device was installed under his car. After going to the mechanic and the police in 2019, he discovered that there were two machines under his car.

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On the morning of Simmons' birthday earlier this month, he told Reveles that his legs “were really sore.” In response, he advised her to go to the hospital, but she persisted until morning. “But in the morning it was too late,” he said.

Reveles found Simmons in her bedroom the next day, where she was pronounced dead at the scene after police arrived at her residence.

“When I saw him, he looked peaceful,” he said, adding that his hands were covered in fists. “That's why I know it's a heart attack. I had a heart attack a few years ago, and my hands did the same.”

ABC News confirmed at the time that authorities believe Simmons died of natural causes. People then reported that the Los Angeles Medical Examiner's Office has postponed Simmons' cause of death pending further investigation and testing. Police told the outlet that “there was no foul play involved.”

After Simmons' death, Reveles noted that she “couldn't stop crying.” He added, “I still can't believe what happened.”

Simmons bought two burial plots next to each other, one for the Reveles.

“Everything happened the way he wanted. He wanted to die first, he was the one who went first,” he said. “And you know what? I am very happy because Richard was very happy. He died very happy.”