Fitness icon Denise Austin reflects on her friendship with Richard Simmons, sharing fond memories of their time together. She describes him as kind and sweet, and they both shared a passion for motivating and uplifting others. Austin reminisces about the aerobics era of the '80s and acknowledges the fun times they had starting their careers. Simmons, who suddenly retreated from the public eye in 2014, recently thanked his fans for their support on Facebook. The documentary "TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons" explored his rise to fame and alleged that his departure was due to the need for a left knee replacement, which caused him to sink into a deep depression.

Simmons has not yet had the surgery and still walks with a cane. The documentary claims that he wanted to avoid being seen as an old man with medical problems and wanted to be remembered as vibrant and healthy. Despite his absence from the spotlight, Simmons has cleverly found ways to live in plain sight and has a fiercely loyal housekeeper and friend. Simmons' classic exercise series, "Sweatin' to the Oldies," is still popular and relevant today, and he hopes to introduce a new generation of fans to it. The documentary is available to stream for free on Tubi.