“Baywatch” alum Nicole Eggert is speaking out following the death of her co-star Michael Newman, who died at age 68 on Sunday.
“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,” Eggert, 52, told The Post in a statement Tuesday.
“The beaches will never be the same and my heart goes out to his family at this time of tremendous loss,” she continued. “May he rest easy and forever continue to catch waves.”
Newman died after an 18-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. His close friend Matthew Felker, who recently directed the Hulu docuseries about “Baywatch,” announced his passing.
Newman — who was a lifeguard in real life — died “from heart complications” on Sunday evening “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 told People magazine.
Newman was 50 when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2006.
“This terminal disease has allowed me a lot of thinking time, which I maybe didn’t want, but it’s brought me wisdom,” Newman told People in August. “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.
“I am cherishing the days that I get to be on this earth with family and friends,” he went on. “I’m taking life seriously.”
He shared that the words he lives by are, “It’s not a run-through.”
Eggert has been dealing with her own health issues. In January, she revealed she was diagnosed with Stage 2 cribriform carcinoma breast cancer last December.
The actress recalls gaining 25 pounds in three months and having “terrible pain” in her left breast in October, but she assumed it was just early signs of menopause.
“This journey’s been rough for me. This hasn’t been a breezy sale through life,” she told People at the time. “I always read inspirational quotes and corny stuff, but it gets me through.”
“Baywatch” ran for 11 seasons and also starred Pamela Anderson, David Hasselhoff, Carmen Electra, Alexandra Paul, Jeremy Jackson, Brandy Ledford and David Chokachi. The stars — minus Anderson — appeared in the recent doc “After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun,” which is now streaming on Hulu.
Newman appeared in 150 episodes and returned to firefighting after the show ended in 2001.
He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Sarah, their children Chris and Emily, and their 1-year-old granddaughter, Charlie.
