‘Baywatch’ Lifeguard Michael Newman Dies at 68 After Parkinson’s Analysis

• Baywatch star Michael Newman has died at age 68, after being recognized with Parkinson’s illness in 2006
• The late actor’s shut pal, director Matt Felker, instructed PEOPLE he died on Sunday, Oct. 20 “surrounded by family and friends”
• Newman rose to fame within the ’90s as mainstay TV lifeguard Mike “Newmie” Newman on the long-running collection

Baywatch star Michael Newman has died after being recognized with Parkinson’s illness in 2006, PEOPLE can verify. He was 68.

Newman’s shut pal, Matt Felker — who directed the latest Hulu docuseries After Baywatch: Second within the Solar — revealed the late actor died “from coronary heart issues” on the night of Sunday, Oct. 20 “surrounded by his household and buddies.”

“I bought to see Mike the final time he was aware and he seemed [at] me and in typical Mike vogue mentioned, ‘You’re simply in time,’ ” Felker tells PEOPLE.

Los Angeles-born Newman rose to fame within the ’90s as mainstay TV lifeguard Mike “Newmie” Newman on the long-running collection, and was the one member of the hit forged who truly was a lifeguard. He appeared in 150 episodes of the collection, which ran from 1989-2001 — extra episodes of the present than anybody apart from David Hasselhoff.

Newman was additionally a full-time firefighter and maintained his schedule on the firehouse whereas filming the present. When the collection ended its run, he continued firefighting till he retired after 25 years.

The star spent latest years elevating cash with the Michael J. Fox Basis to assist discover a treatment for Parkinson’s. 

Whereas chatting with PEOPLE in August, Newman mentioned he hoped “the telling of my private story brings consciousness to the significance of discovering a Parkinson’s treatment.”

The retired actor added of his prognosis, “This terminal illness has allowed me a variety of considering time, which I possibly didn’t need, nevertheless it’s introduced me knowledge.”

“My physique has modified so slowly that I hardly discover it, but I’m always reminded that Parkinson’s has now turn out to be the middle of my life,” he mentioned whereas selling After Baywatch: Second within the Solar.

Recognized at age 50, Newman mentioned residing with the illness within the Felker-directed doc, revealing he took 10 drugs a day and would typically get up “jittery.”

“I’m cherishing the times that I get to be on this earth with household and buddies. I’m taking life critically,” he instructed PEOPLE, including, “It’s not a run-through.”

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Baywatch adopted a group of lifeguards led by Lieutenant Mitch Buchannon (Hasselhoff) as they saved lives, handled private dramas, fought crime, and took part in each day adventures on a Los Angeles seaside. Newman starred within the present alongside actors together with Pamela Anderson, Nicole Eggert, Yasmine Bleeth and Jeremy Jackson.

He reprised his function within the three episodes of the 1995 spinoff collection Baywatch Nights.

Talking with PEOPLE, Newman expressed his due to Felker for giving him the chance to inform his story within the Baywatch documentary, which started streaming in August.

“Matt Felker, within the making of this documentary, has given me and different Baywatch forged members an opportunity to inform our tales as they really replicate our actual lives,” he mentioned. “This chance means so much to me.”

Newman is survived by his spouse, Sarah, whom he married 36 years in the past. The couple share two grown youngsters: son Chris and daughter Emily. In addition they have a 1-year-old granddaughter, Charlie.

Earlier than his prognosis, Newman was planning to retire with Sarah in Hawaii, and had even constructed their dream house simply two blocks from the place the spinoff Baywatch: Hawaii had been filmed.

“Life is brief,” Newman instructed PEOPLE. “It’s one thing I didn’t typically give myself an opportunity to consider earlier than my Parkinson’s prognosis.”