“Baywatch” star Michael Newman has died at age 67, a friend of the filmmaker says

“Baywatch” star Michael Newman has died. He was 67 years old.

Newman died of heart complications on October 20, his longtime friend Matthew Felker confirmed to Fox News Digital. According to Felker, who directed the recent documentary “After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun,” Newman was surrounded by his family and friends.

“Mike was the catalyst for 'Baywatch,' as he starred as himself in the sales role in 1988 that was eventually sold to NBC,” Felker said. “He never quit his job as a firefighter throughout his 11 years on Baywatch and continued after the show was canceled.” He noted: “We want everyone's attention to be on the search for a cure for Parkinson's and the Michael J Fox Foundation will be judged.”

“Mike and I had a very special bond and friendship,” he added in a statement to Fox News Digital. “I gave him my word at the start of our series that I would help raise awareness of Parkinson’s and the last time I saw him I told him I would continue to do so.”

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Michael Newman has died at the age of 67 as a result of Parkinson's disease. (Getty Images)

According to a post the filmmaker shared on Instagram, Newman and Felker met five years ago.

“After five years of following his life and becoming very close friends, Mike was able to see the series come to fruition,” Felker wrote. “This series had more problems and hurdles than any other. Mike wasn't just a real hero. He was a competitor through and through. I knew how much this series meant to him and his life. There were times when I wanted to throw everything in the trash… and then I remembered that I couldn't let him down. He never did it.

“Together we managed to achieve something that was almost impossible given incredible hurdles. Making him shine at our premiere in Santa Monica was worth all the hassle – I endured it for years. He said, 'He did it… him.' really done it!' You did it, Mike.

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“I saw Mike before he died,” he added. “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. He found humor until the end. Before me.” As I left him, we read him letters and played videos from friends from all walks of life. He knew he was loved. Before I left him, he grabbed my hand as hard as he could, looked me in the eyes and just nodded and said, “We'll meet again.” A few days later, I lost my hero, even if it was only for a short time was.

In 2006, at age 50, Newman was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

“This terminal illness has given me a lot of time to think, which I may not have wanted, but it has brought me wisdom,” Newman told People magazine in August.

“My body has changed so slowly that I hardly notice it, and yet I am constantly reminded that Parkinson's has now become the center of my life.”

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Michael Newman appeared in 150 episodes of Baywatch. (Getty Images)

Newman gained fame as lifeguard Mike “Newmie” Newman on “Baywatch.” He was the only member of the cast who was a lifeguard in real life.

Newman also appeared in more episodes than any other series actor except Baywatch star David Hasselhoff. His face graced the television screen for 150 episodes while the series ran from 1989 to 2001.

Co-star Donna D'Errico paid tribute to Newman on Instagram.

“Newmie was nicer to me than anyone else on the show,” she wrote. “Always kind and encouraging, he was a gentle, calming force who made my years on Baywatch easier. I was always so happy when we had scenes together because he was a joy to work with. He knew about my fear of water and…” I couldn’t swim and was an excellent swimmer myself, who quietly helped me through my water scenes. I am so sad to hear of his passing today.

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Donna D'Errico, actor and lifeguard Michael Newman and Traci Bingham attend a “Baywatch” press event on Malibu Beach on July 17, 1996 to introduce the series' new cast members. (Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)

Newman is survived by his wife Sarah, their two children and a granddaughter.

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Before his death, the actor and his wife had plans to retire to Hawaii. They had built a house two blocks from where Baywatch: Hawaii was filmed.

“Life is short,” Newman previously told People magazine. “It’s something I didn’t get to think about much before my Parkinson’s diagnosis.”