Patrick passed away on Monday in Los Angeles surrounded by family. The actor had been battling pancreatic cancer since being diagnosed in early 2008.
Determined to fight his illness, Patrick continued working on his A&E series "The Beast" throughout his cancer treatments and also spent as much time as he could with wife of 34 years Lisa Niemi and their family.
In an interview with Barbara Walters in January 2009, the 'Dirty Dancing' star described the New Year's Eve in 2007 when he first suspected he was ill.
"I tried to have champagne and it would be like pouring acid on an open wound," he said.
The actor, who first went public with his diagnosis in March of 2008, also told Barbara that severe indigestion and a sudden 20-pound weight loss were symptoms of his disease.
"And then when you see it in the mirror and you pull your eyes down and the bottom of your eyes go yellow and jaundice sets in, you know something's wrong," he added.
He told Barbara at the time of their interview that he hoped to beat his illness, saying, "I keep dreaming of a future, a future with a long and healthy life, not lived in the shadow of cancer, but in the light," and also said, "I don't know what's on the other side. It tests everything that I believe in that there is something unique in all of us that does not die."
Born on August 18, 1952, in Houston, TX, Swayze made his film debut in 1979's 'Skatetown, U.S.A.', a Scott Baio vehicle dubbed "the rock and roller disco movie of the year" -- Swayze would land a handful of TV credits in the few years after. But Hollywood came calling again for him in 1983 with a meatier role in Francis Ford Coppola's coming-of-age drama, 'The Outsiders,' co-starring Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe and Diane Lane.
Swayze made his lasting mark as a Hollywood leading man with a pair of Golden Globe nominated performances: He swept co-star Jennifer Grey and unsuspecting audiences off their feet as dreamy dance instructor Johnny Castle in 'Dirty Dancing' (1987). And he was also memorably there in spirit for a second sleeper hit, 1990's 'Ghost,' co-starring Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. He garnered his third Golden Globe nom in 1995 by donning a skirt (among other female accessories) in the comedy 'To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar.'
Other memorable films in the Swayze canon include his barhouse brawler flick 'Road House' (1989), the surfer-heist movie 'Point Break' (1991, co-starring Keanu Reeves), and 2001's critically acclaimed sci-fi 'Donnie Darko,' co-starring Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
In addition to his acting accomplishments, Swayze was named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World, as well as Sexiest Man Alive, in 1991.
He leaves behind his wife, his brother Donald and his mother Patsy.
Should Patrick Swayze Have Stopped Smoking?
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Comments (71)
I preyed for you and your family every day.i for one will never for get you.
Love You .
Dianne
RIP Patrick
andrew MacIntosh