'Baywatch' star Michael Newman dead at 68, filmmaker friend says
"Baywatch" star Michael Newman has died. He was 68 years old.
Newman died Oct. 20 "from heart complications," longtime friend Matthew Felker confirmed to People magazine. Newman was surrounded by his family and friends, according to Felker, who directed the recent "After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun" documentary.
"I got to see Mike the last time he was conscious, and he looked [at] me and, in typical Mike fashion, said, 'You’re just in time,'" Felker told the outlet.
"Mike and I had a very special bond and friendship," he added in a statement to Fox News Digital. "I gave my word to him when we started our series that I would help raise awareness for Parkinson’s, and I told him the last time I saw him that I will continue to do so."
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Newman and Felker met five years ago, according to a post the filmmaker shared on Instagram.
"After 5 years of following his life and becoming very close friends, Mike was able to see the series come to fruition," Felker wrote. "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. There were times I wanted throw it all in the trash… and then I remembered Mike. I 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. Seeing him light up at our premiere in Santa Monica was worth all the bulls--- I endured for years. He said ‘he did it… he really did it!’ You did it Mike.
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"I got to see Mike before he passed away," he added. "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. 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."
Newman was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2006 at the age of 50.
"This terminal disease has allowed me a lot of thinking time, which I maybe didn’t want, but it’s brought me wisdom," Newman told People magazine in August.
"My body has changed so slowly that I hardly notice it, yet I am constantly reminded that Parkinson’s has now become the center of my life."
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Newman gained fame as lifeguard Mike "Newmie" Newman in "Baywatch." He was the only member of the cast who was a lifeguard in real life.
Newman also appeared in more episodes than any other series cast member besides "Baywatch" star David Hasselhoff. His face graced the TV screen for 150 episodes as the show ran from 1989 to 2001.
Co-star Donna D'Errico paid tribute to Newman on Instagram.
"Newmie was nicer to me than anyone else on the show," she wrote. "Ever kind and encouraging, he was a gentle, calming force that made my years on ‘Baywatch’ easier. I was always so happy whenever we had scenes together because he was a joy to work with. He knew of my fear of water and inability to swim and, being an excellent swimmer himself, quietly helped me through my water scenes. I’m so sad to hear of his passing today."
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Newman is survived by his wife, Sarah, their two children and a granddaughter.
Before his death, the actor and his wife had plans to retire to Hawaii. They had built a home two blocks away from where "Baywatch: Hawaii" filmed.
"Life is short," Newman previously told People magazine. "It is something I didn’t often give myself a chance to think about before my Parkinson’s diagnosis."