sad loss
Baywatch star Michael Newman dead at 68 from ‘heart complications’ after 18-year battle with Parkinson’s disease
The actor was the only cast member who actually worked as a lifeguard
BAYWATCH star Michael Newman has died following his battle with Parkinson's disease.
The actor, who was first diagnosed with the condition in 2006, died of "from heart complications" on Sunday evening at 68.
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According to Michael's close friend, Matt Felker, director of the Hulu docuseries After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, he was surrounded by family and friends when he drew his last breaths.
"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,'" Mike told .
Michael was the only cast member of Baywatch who was a real-life lifeguard, appearing in 150 episodes - more than anyone else except David Hasselhoff.
He played a character with the same name as his, often going by the nickname, Newmie.
During his time on the show, he also worked as a full-time firefighter, a job he continued doing after Baywatch ended in 2001, eventually retiring after 25 years of service.
In 2006, Michael was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 50.
His journey with the disease was chronicled in the Hulu documentary, which revisited the lives of the iconic cast members after their time on the show.
Reflecting on his experience with Parkinson’s, Michael told People in August, “This terminal disease has given me a lot of thinking time—perhaps more than I wanted—but it has brought me wisdom."
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“My body has changed so gradually that I’ve hardly noticed it, yet Parkinson’s is now at the center of my life,” he said.
Pamela Anderson stuns in her first scene in Baywatch
Despite the challenges, Michael expressed his deep appreciation for life, saying, “I am cherishing the days I have left with family and friends. Life is serious now, and I remind myself every day that it’s not a rehearsal.”
Before his diagnosis, Michael had planned to retire with his wife, Sarah, in Hawaii, where they had built their dream home just two blocks from where the spinoff Baywatch: Hawaii had been filmed.
Reflecting on life post-diagnosis, Michael told the magazine, “Life is short. It is something I didn’t often give myself a chance to think about before my Parkinson’s diagnosis.”
Michael also spent recent years raising money with the Michael J. Fox Foundation to help find a cure for Parkinson's.
In 2023, Michael reflected on his decision to step away from acting, even though he found great fulfillment in it.
“You don’t realize how hard it is to look natural on camera, and there were times when I didn’t improve. Acting is a tough industry, and let’s face it—very few survive the years in Hollywood,” he said.
Michael is survived by his wife, Sarah, their children Chris and Emily, as well as his one-year-old granddaughter, Charlie.
Baywatch Stars
Baywatch premiered on NBC in 1989 and ran in syndication until 2001. The show featured a cast of sexy celebrities that fans came to love, and catapulted a number of famous folks into major celebrity status. Nearly 30 years later, Hulu is preparing to premiere a documentary called After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, which looks back at the show, its stars and gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at the series.
Here's a look at stars who appeared on Baywatch:
- David Hasselhoff
- Jason Momoa
- Pamela Anderson
- Stacy Komano
- Yasmine Bleeth
- Michael Newman
- Nicole Eggert
- Carmen Electra
- Erika Eleniak
- Alexandra Paul
- Jeremy Jackson
- David Charvet
- Gena Lee Nolin
- Brooke Burns
- Billy Warlock
- Michael Bergin
- Brande Roderick
- Brandon Call
- David Chokachi
- Simmone Jad Mackinnon
- Parker Stevenson
- Krista Allen
- Kelly Slater
- John Allen Nelson
- Charlie Brumbly
- Angelica Bridges
- Kelly Packard
- Jason Brooks
- Monte Markham
- Shawn Weatherly
- Gregory Alan Williams
- Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
- Richard Jaechkel
- Mila Kunis
- Donna D'Errico
- Pat Morita
- Brandy Ledford
- Brian Keaulana
- Tom McTigue
- Scott Plank
- Traci Bingham
- Angie Harmon
- Elizabeth Berkley
- Mitzi Kapture
- Jenny McCarthy
- Julian Stone
- Jaason Simmons
- Bryan Cranston
- Michelle Williams
- Charisma Carpenter
- Peter Phelps
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