Baywatch star Michael Newman has tragically died at the age of 68.
Newman rose to fame in the ’90s after playing a lifeguard on the long-running series, starring alongside Pamela Anderson and Carmen Electra.
The heartbreaking news was confirmed by Newman’s close friend, Matt Felker, who revealed the late actor died “from heart complications” on Sunday, October 20, according to PEOPLE.
The 45-year-old, who directed the recent Hulu docuseries After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, shared that Newman was “surrounded by his family and friends”.
“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,'” Felker revealed to the outlet.
Newman endured an 18-year battle with Parkinson’s disease.
He was first diagnosed at the age of 50 in 2006 and devoted his later years to fundraising for the Michael J Fox Foundation.
In a heartfelt interview with PEOPLE this August, the late actor opened up about his desire to raise awareness about the condition through his own experiences.
“This terminal disease has allowed me a lot of thinking time, which I maybe didn’t want, but it’s brought me wisdom,” he said. “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.”
Newman revealed he took 10 medications a day and would often wake up “jittery,” adding: “I am cherishing the days that I get to be on this earth with family and friends. I’m taking life seriously.”
He said that his life mantra is, “It’s not a run-through,” and concluded: “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.”
Newman was the only member of the Baywatch cast who was actually a lifeguard. He was also a firefighter who balanced his on-screen career with his full-time career.
Once the show concluded in 2001, he returned to firefighting before hanging up his helmet 25 years later.
The late star is survived by his wife of 36 years, Sarah, their children Chris and Emily, and their one-year-old granddaughter, Charlie.
Our thoughts are with Newman’s family and friends at this time.
Mystery of Princess Catherine’s Hospitalization Finally Uncovered
This year has been packed with enlightening experiences, particularly for avid followers of the royal family. However, among various occurrences, there lies a more intimate and enigmatic narrative involving the Princess of Wales and King Charles, both grappling with cancer.
Speculation arose as to why Princess Catherine had vanished.
The public was taken aback on January 17 when Kensington Palace announced that Kate, the Princess of Wales, would be having “planned abdominal surgery” and would need time to recover. Mere hours later, Buckingham Palace released a parallel statement revealing that King Charles was receiving treatment for an enlarged prostate.
Throughout the two weeks that Princess Kate was hospitalized, Prince William was spotted departing the London Clinic in his sleek Audi. However, their children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis — were conspicuously absent, sparking curiosity among the public.
The decision not to appear was intentional.
Reports indicated that the decision to keep the children away was intentional. Kate didn’t want her kids to witness her in a hospital gown, attached to monitors and tubes. According to a family friend, life at home was so normal that George played a rugby match while Kate was in the hospital.
Cancer was detected in the tests conducted post-surgery in January, but this information was withheld for two months. During this period, the Wales family faced one of their toughest times. Social media buzzed with wild theories, ranging from slightly odd to utterly outlandish.
Rumors started circulating, leading the royals to reflect on their missteps.
Strangely, Kensington Palace seemed at a loss for how to handle the situation. Speculation ran rampant, with some rumors suggesting that Kate was either hidden away in a Scottish tower or preparing to leave William and move to Santa Fe.
Matters grew even stranger on February 27 when William unexpectedly canceled his attendance at his godfather King Constantine of Greece’s memorial service at St George’s Chapel, citing an unspecified “personal matter.”
However, global skepticism intensified when major photo agencies began to question the authenticity of the images. Even with the benefit of hindsight, and understanding what the Waleses were experiencing, this episode remains one of the most unusual and poorly managed in contemporary royal history.
A royal aide acknowledged that valuable lessons were learned from this ordeal.
A second public appearance.
This year has revealed that William and Kate, despite their privileges, are human and imperfect. We often overlook that the princess is a real person, not a flawless icon. Royals can still face challenges and make mistakes.
Quashing the swirling rumors and wild speculations, the Princess of Wales attended Wimbledon on July 14 which marked her second public appearance after her diagnosis. With a warm smile and a composed demeanor, she was accompanied by her sister Pippa and daughter Charlotte, immediately putting an end to the outlandish theories.
Her presence reassured everyone that she was well, effectively silencing the frenzy of speculation and reaffirming her commitment to her royal duties. This graceful appearance reminded the world of her resilience and strength, closing a tumultuous chapter in the royal family’s history.
Princess Catherine’s first public appearance since her diagnosis was on June 15 in honor of the King’s official birthday. Check the photos here.
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