Michael Newman’s Cause of Death: Lifeguard in Real Life and Baywatch Star’s Legacy That You Should Know About
- Michael Newman has passed away at the age of 67 due to heart complications.
- Newman was not only a real-life lifeguard but also a full-time firefighter.
- The actor was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2006 and had been working with foundations to help them in finding a cure.
Actor and real-life lifeguard Michael Newman, who is popularly known for portraying a caricature of himself on the show Baywatch, was the only real-life lifeguard on the show, which starred Pamela Anderson, David Hasselhoff, Yasmine Bleeth, Parker Stevenson, and more. Baywatch, after surviving being canceled after one season, went on to become one of the most-watched shows across the world.
Newman, who worked as a Los Angeles County lifeguard, appeared in 150 episodes of the series that ran from 1989 to 2001. The actor was also a full-time firefighter at L.A. County and had found a way to balance things out with the show and his schedule at the firehouse. Michael Newman, after the show concluded, continued to be a firefighter until he retired 25 years later. Michael Newman has passed away at the age of 67 on October 20, 2024.
Baywatch star Michael Newman passed away due to heart complications
According to People, Matt Felker has confirmed that Baywatch star and firefighter Michael Newman has passed away at the age of 67 due to heart complications. Felker shared that in his last moments, his family and friends surrounded Newman. He added,
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. That was Mike. He found humor until the end.
Michael Newman was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2006 and had been spending time raising money with the Michael J. Fox Foundation to help them find a cure for Parkinson’s. The actor shared about living with Parkinson’s and how he wants to bring awareness to the fact that it’s important to find its cure. Newman spoke to People in August and shared,
Everything changes. All those things that you thought you were going to do with your children and grandchildren, pictures we were going to take, all the plans I had… stopped.
Even after his diagnosis, the actor didn’t stop going into the water, sharing that the best treatment for Parkinson’s is exercise—at least 45 minutes a day of intense cardio. He noted that he feels lucky because he has been training for the same, referring to his lifelong passion for physical activity. Baywatch star shared further that the disease is a slow burn, adding it does not wait for the person but it keeps plowing in.
He goes on to describe the disease as ‘sinister’, pointing out that the symptoms are so slow that one can barely notice that they’re changing. By participating in Matt Felker’s documentary Baywatch: The American Dream, Newman noted that he hopes that it might help others.
It was reported that the actor had one condition in exchange for participating in the documentary, which was to work with the Michael J. Fox Foundation and Cedars-Sinai to raise funds for fighting Parkinson’s.
The actor mentioned that he’s immensely grateful for his life, adding that he’s met some good people throughout his career. He lastly added that the terminal disease has allowed him to think a lot, which has brought him wisdom. Before his diagnosis, the actor had planned to move to Hawaii, where he had built a home near the filming location of Baywatch: Hawaii.
Tributes pour in for Baywatch star and firefighter Michael Newman
Michael Newman was one of the beloved actors on Baywatch, and his zest for life was unmatched. The actor who starred alongside Pamela Anderson, David Hasselhoff, and more touched the lives of everyone he met and earned respect for being not only a lifeguard but also a full-time firefighter. His unfortunate demise allowed his co-stars to reflect on his impact on their lives. Nicole Eggert shared in a statement via NYPost,
Michael ‘Newmie’ Newman was an inspiration to all. From his knowledge, skill, and willingness to share to his long fight with Parkinson’s disease, he was a beacon of strength. The beaches will never be the same, and my heart goes out to his family at this time of tremendous loss. May he rest easy and forever continue to catch waves.
David Hasselhoff also took to his social media to share a picture of the two of them from Baywatch and called him a warrior. He added that Newman saved his life at least four times, noting that he did the transfer from the scarab to jet skis several times perfectly. (via NYPost)
Actress Donna D’Errico shared that Newmie was nicer to her than anyone else on the show, adding that he was kind and encouraging. D’Errico noted that Newman was gentle and the calming force that made her life easy on the show.
She wrote on her social media that she was always so happy to film scenes with him because he was a joy to work with, noting he was aware of her fear of water and inability to swim, and he helped her through her water scenes.
Michael Newman is survived by his wife Sarah, his children Chris and Emily, and his 1-year-old granddaughter Charlie. Newmie might be gone, but his legacy will continue to live on.
Baywatch: The American Dream can be streamed on Hulu.
