“Baywatch” actor Michael Newman dies at age 68 after an 18-year battle with Parkinson’s disease

Newman, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2006, is best known for his role as “Newmie” in the popular Lifeguard series.

Michael Newman, the actor best known for his role as lifeguard Mike “Newmie” Newman BaywatchAccording to PEOPLE, he died at age 68 after an 18-year battle with Parkinson's disease.

Matthew Felker, who directed the Hulu docuseries After Baywatch: Moment in the Sunconfirmed to the outlet that Newman died “of heart complications” on October 20, surrounded by his loved ones.

Felker also paid tribute to Newman and his passion for her Baywatch Documentaries in an Instagram post on Monday. “Mike wasn't just a real hero. He was a competitor through and through. “I knew how much this show meant to him and his life,” he wrote. “There were times when I wanted to throw everything in the trash… and then I remembered Mike. I couldn't let him down. I couldn't give up. He never did.”

A representative for Felker did not immediately respond Weekly entertainmentPlease comment.

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He remembered the last time he saw Newman before his death. “He was mostly unconscious… when I showed up he was almost miraculously awake, looked at me and said 'You're just in time' and laughed. That was Mike,” Felker explained. “He found humor until the end.”

The director wrote that the two spent their final moments together reading letters and watching videos from Newman's loved ones. “Before I left him, he grabbed my hand as hard as he could, looked me straight in the eyes and just nodded. I nodded and said, 'We'll see each other again. I promise,'” he wrote. “A few days later. I lost my friend. A hero. My hero. Thanks for coming into my life, Newmie. Even if it was only for a short time.”

Newman was born in Los Angeles and made his acting debut as a lifeguard Baywatch in 1989. Over the next 11 years, he appeared in 150 episodes of the action series and appeared in several spin-offs, including the 1989 television movie Baywatch: Panic at Malibu Pier1996s Baywatch nights, and 1998 Baywatch: White Thunder in Glacier Bay.

In addition to his work BaywatchNewman also managed a busy career as a full-time firefighter, continuing to work as a firefighter throughout filming and after the series ended in 2001. He finally retired from the profession after 25 years of service.

In 2006, Newman was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease after his family members noticed he was moving slower than normal. Last year, he explained in a PEOPLE interview that his whole world changed after the diagnosis, adding, “All the things you thought you would do with your children and grandchildren, pictures we take “I wanted to, all the plans I had…” stopped.”

In Felker's documentary, the actor went into more detail about his diagnosis. After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun. The docuseries also partnered with the Michael J. Fox Foundation and Cedars-Sinai to raise funds for those also battling Parkinson's disease.

Newman is survived by his wife Sarah, their son Chris, his daughter Emily and his granddaughter Charlie.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.