Michael Newman, known for his role as a lifeguard in the popular show Baywatch, has passed away at the age of 68. He appeared in about 150 episodes over 11 seasons. Michael Newman’s death has left fans around the world in mourning.
Here is everything fans need to know about the Baywatch actor’s passing and the cause of his death.
Michael Newman passes away at 68, claims report
According to a report by People Magazine, Michael Newman, a former Baywatch star, passed away on October 20 at the age of 68. Director Matt Felker shared the news with the outlet. He revealed that Michael Newman died due to “heart complications.”
Felker, who recently worked with Newman on the Hulu documentary After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, shared that Newman discussed his Parkinson’s diagnosis during the series’ promotion. Newman was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2006. During the promotion, he said, “This terminal disease has allowed me a lot of thinking time, which I maybe didn’t want, but it’s brought me wisdom. 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.”
Speaking to People about Michael Newman’s death, Felker stated that Newman passed away “surrounded by his family and friends.” He added, “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.'”
Apart from being an actor, Michael Newman also worked as a full-time firefighter for nearly 25 years before retiring. He spent his later years raising money with the Michael J. Fox Foundation to help find a cure for Parkinson’s.
Newman is survived by his wife, Sarah, to whom he was married for 36 years. They have two grown children, Chris and Emily, and a granddaughter, Charlie.
Before his diagnosis, Newman planned to retire in Hawaii. He and Sarah built their dream home just two blocks from where Baywatch: Hawaii was filmed.
