Richard Simmons Returns Home After 3-Day Hospital Stay
Richard Simmons returned to his home in Los Angeles on Thursday after being hospitalized for "severe indigestion" three days ago.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department told ET that the reclusive fitness guru came home at around 5:30 in the afternoon, and discovered "a bunch of paparazzi" outside his house.
"Two LAPD detectives stood by and kept the peace," the LAPD spokesperson stated. "Richard got into his house safely."
WATCH: Richard Simmons Breaks Silence After Hospitalization: 'Hope to See You Again Soon'
"I'm happy to confirm that Richard Simmons was released from the hospital yesterday at 4:30 PM," Simmon's longtime manager, Michael Catalano said in a statement to ET on Friday. "His doctors were very pleased with his progress and released him sooner than expected. He's glad to be home and feeling good. He sends a huge thank you to all the people who have reached out with their wishes for his speedy recovery."
Simmons, 68, was photographed for the first time in three years as he exited his car and entered his home. As reported by The Daily Mail, who were the first to print photos of Simmons, he was draped in a blanket to hide from photographers and was guided into his home by his housekeeper, Teresa Reveles.
ET has reached out to Simmons' rep, Michael Catalano, for more information.
WATCH: Richard Simmons Speaks Out: 'No One Should Worry About Me'
Simmons was hospitalized on Monday at an "undisclosed location in California," Catalano told ET on Tuesday. "After a few days of battling severe indigestion and discomfort while eating, we agreed it was best for him to seek treatment."
On Wednesday, Simmons broke his long silence to thank fans for their support and update them on his well-being after staying out of the public eye for over three years.
"Hello to everyone who has shown concern for me and sent their good wishes.," he says. You will never know how much it means to me," Simmons wrote in a Facebook post. "By now you know that I’m not 'missing,' just a little under the weather. I’m sure I will be feeling good and back home in a couple of days."
Questions surrounding Simmons' health and well-being have been swirling in recent years and this isn't the first time Simmons has sought to comfort fans while remaining unseen. In March 2016, ET exclusively spoke with Simmons over the phone, and he insisted that "no one should be worried about me."
"I love all the people who worry about me," he told ET. "But it was time for me to take some time to be by myself. For the last 40 years I have been traveling, teaching classes, and I had a knee injury, so I had a knee replacement, which was very difficult for me… I have really just been taking it easy, staying at home, working out in my gym and doing the things I haven't done in a very long time."
For more on the health expert's recent hospitalization, check out the video below.