“Baywatch” actor Michael Newman has passed away at 68 years old.
His death comes 18 years after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2006.
Newman’s friend Matt Felker, who directed the Hulu docuseries “After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, told PEOPLE magazine that he died “from heart complications” on Sunday evening as he was “surrounded by his family and friends.”
The Los Angeles native gained fame by playing lifeguard Mike “Newmie” Newman on the hit ’90s series appearing in 150 episodes. He was the only cast member who was a real lifeguard. Deadline reports he worked as an L.A. County lifeguard for 20 years. He started at 10 years old as a Santa Monica Junior Lifeguard.
He also appeared in the spinoff series “Baywatch Night,” the movie “Baywatch: White Thunder at Glacier Bay,” “Welcome to Hollywood” and “Enemy Action.”
While in Hollywood, Newman worked as a firefighter as well as an actor. He continued firefighting after “Baywatch” and until he retired.
Felker paid tribute to Newman in a lengthy post to Instagram on Monday night.
“Few of us are lucky enough to have someone like Mike Newman enter and change their life. I met Mike five years ago in the beginning stages of a ‘Baywatch’ series,” he penned. “After five years of following his life and becoming very close friends, Mike was able to see the series come to fruition. The amount of issues this series had and hurdles was like no other. Mike was not only a real-life hero. He was a competitor through and through. I knew how much this series meant to him and his life.”
The director said at times he wanted to “throw it all in the trash” but then he “remembered Mike” and “couldn’t let him down.”
“I couldn’t quit. He never did. We succeeded together pulling something off that was nearly impossible against hurdles you wouldn’t believe,” he continued. “Seeing him light up at our premiere in Santa Monica was worth all the bulls–t I endured for years. “
Felker said he was able to see Newman before he passed.
“He was unconscious mostly… when I showed up he was awake almost like a miracle and looked at me and said ‘You’re just in time’ and laughed. That was Mike. He found humor all the way until the end. Before I left him, we read him letters and played videos from friends from all walks of life. He knew he was loved,” he explained. “Before I left him he grabbed my hand as tight as he could and looked me dead in the eyes and just nodded, I nodded and said. ‘We will see each other again.. I promise.’ A few days later. I lost my friend. A hero. My hero. Thanks for coming into my life Newmie. Even if it was a brief time.”
The actor is survived by his wife, their two children and granddaughter.
