The actor, who was a lifeguard before joining the show, died “from heart complications” just two months after making a rare red carpet appearance at the premiere of a recent Baywatch documentary.
Baywatch star Michael Newman, who played Mike “Newmie” Newman on the ’90s series, has died at 68 … 18 years after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
His death was confirmed to PEOPLE by Matt Felker, who directed the recent Hulu docuseries After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun and really befriended Newman during the process of making the doc. Per Felker, he died “from heart complications … surrounded by his family and friends” on Sunday night.
Newman, who was a firefighter while appearing on the show and continued to work as one when the show ended, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2006, before moving to Oahu, close to where they actually filmed Baywatch: Hawaii.
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Felker also paid tribute to Newman on social media, saying, “Few of us are lucky enough to have someone like Mike Newman enter and change their life.”
“I met Mike 5 years ago in the beginning stages of a Baywatch series. After 5 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,” Felker continued, referring to his doc. “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.”
Felker also addressed Newman’s appearance at the premiere for the doc on August 26, 2024 in Santa Monica (above right) — saying that “seeing him light up at our premiere in Santa Monica was worth all the bulls–t 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 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,” he continued. “That was Mike. He found humor all the way until the end.”
“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,” he concluded. “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.”
Baywatch alum Gena Lee Nolin also commented on the post, writing, Rest in Peace Newmie! He will be remembered and greatly missed by so many. 💔🕊️🌊 one of the “good ones” through and through. 😢”
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David Chokachi, meanwhile, shared his own tribute to his Instagram page.
“Newmie, I was blessed to have you in my life, as a friend, a mentor, and an inspiration; to always train hard, live life to the fullest, laugh as much as possible, and cherish your time with your family,” he began his tribute.
“When I landed the role of Cody Madison on Baywatch, you were the one who gave me day one of lifeguard training and I come from an ocean background but it was still extremely humbling,” he continued. “My favorite days on the show were when it would be you and I shooting second unit, which meant lots of high speed action, driving the scarabs (the high speed rescue boats) full throttle and turning them on a dime close to Venice pier for a rescue, chasing bad guys on the wave runners, fighting bad guys while scuba diving in the open ocean, or charging through high surf to make multiple rescues.”
He concluded, “Even when stunts seemed a little sketchy, I never worried when I was with you because I knew you were always watching, ready to pounce if something went wrong. I can’t say enough, except, I love you and I will miss you so very much!”
Costar Alexandra Paul also shared a series of photos of Newman to her page, without caption.
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Newman appeared in After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, in which he opened up about his battle with Parkinson’s.
“It’s been tough being diagnosed with something like that. In a moment, when a doctor tells you you have Parkinson’s, your whole life changes. You have to reorder your life,” said Newman, getting choked up. “All those things you had planned for your family and yourself, adventures you wanted to go on, you’re not going.”
While he had a hard time walking, he was seen still swimming — something he said he loved to do. Video in the doc even showed him doing weights underwater, on the floor of the pool. The director, who costars told TooFab was really there for Newman throughout it all, said he noticed his decline in the years they worked on the doc — but added, “he’s not just going to sit in the corner.”
The actor is survived by his wife, Sarah, their two grown children and one granddaughter. Per the doc, his son Chris actually works as a lifeguard at Will Rogers beach, where they filmed Baywatch.
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