The late American actor Patrick Swayze’s longtime spouse, Lisa Niemi, has revealed the final words he spoke to her before passing away. Find out what he said to her.
Famous for some of the iconic leading roles he played throughout his career, Patrick Swayze was a celebrated actor, dancer, and singer. His acting credits include “Ghost,” “To Wong Foo,” “Thanks for Everything,” and “Point Break,” among other popular films. ”.
Swayze was not only a well-known actor but also a 34-year marriage to Lisa Niemi. In the three decades of their marriage, she stood by him through every tragedy he experienced.
Swayze spoke his final words before falling into a coma and died in Niemi’s presence. Discover the significance of those words and every aspect of Swayze’s life, including his final months.
Niemi describes her first encounter with Swayze in an excerpt from her book “Worth Fighting For Love, Loss, and Moving Forward.”.
She first saw him at Houston Music Theater when she was 14 years old. Then Swayze’s mother’s dance studio merged with Niemi’s theatrical company. Niemi claimed Swayze was.
“Patrick was buff, tan, and smiled brilliantly, and he was known as a Casanova. I wasn’t just an introvert. ”.
They initially came into contact as they entered and left the theater. Swayze leaned down and gave Niemi a bottom pinch.
He then called out to her in a playful and happy voice, “Hey there, cutie. However, Niemi rolled her eyes and said, “Oh, brother,” before advancing on him.
Niemi asserted that the decision to wed Swayze was made abruptly. They started talking about the future five years after they first met, but most of their conversations were about their goals to become professional dancers.
They lived together in a modest apartment in New York City. Niemi claimed that they were having a tickling contest when Swayze had her in his arms.
When she inquired about the issue, his face became red. Then he asked: “Why don’t we do it?”. The couple exchanged vows on June 12th, 1975, asking, “Why don’t we get married?”.
Swayze’s mother Patsy, who established the Houston Jazz and Ballet Company, taught him how to dance when he was a young child. Patsy influenced her child as a perfectionist. Swayze’s friend Frank Whiteley said:.
His life’s motivation came from his mother’s constant insistence that he “needs to be perfect.”.
Don Swayze, also known as Big Buddy, was a novice boxer and rodeo rider. In his autobiography, Swayze described his dad as a good-hearted cowboy.
He was the rock upon which our family was built. a consistent and dependable presence in our lives. In some ways, my father raised us better than my mother.
Swayze was an excellent athlete and, with the help of his mother’s tutelage, a talented ballerina. He wanted to play football, but his dreams were dashed when, at the age of 18, he suffered a terrible knee injury while competing.
Swayze’s ability to walk normally would never recover after the accident, according to the doctors. He began taking dance lessons as part of his recovery because he was determined to refute the claims of the medical experts.
Swayze’s desire to pursue a career in ballet was ultimately dashed by a nasty infection in his injured knee.
He later remarked: after finding it difficult to get used to life without ballet.
“I tried for years to fill the void left by quitting the ballet.
”.
Swayze, who was heartbroken to have to give up his dancing career, made the switch to acting. He moved to Los Angeles, where critics and moviegoers praised his first film, “Skatetown USA.”. The role ultimately led to the TV program “The Renegades.”. ”.
Swayze suffered yet another loss following the sudden death of his beloved father from a heart attack just as his career was about to take off. It was 1982, Don was 57 years old. Swayze began drinking heavily after the death of his father, which left him in an unending state of agony. “,” he said.
“I never really drank, but the first thing I did after my father passed away was to buy a case of Budweiser, as that was his preferred beer. ”.
Despite not enjoying the taste of the beer, Swayze drank a lot of it in an effort to get drunk. However, no matter how much he drank, the pain persisted. He continued to drink as a result.
Following his breakdown, Swayze started a lifelong battle with alcoholism and hopelessness. When his father passed away, he reportedly found a way to cope, but his strategy ultimately led to his self-destruction, according to his former agent Kate Edwards.
Swayze wasn’t sure how to put or express his emotions, Edwards continued. He was also unsure of what to do or how to respond.
Despite being married for 34 years, Swayze and Niemi never had kids. The reason, however, was that they didn’t want to.
In the August 2019 Paramount Network documentary “I Am Patrick Swayze,” Niemi spoke about her and her late husband’s love for children, according to Closer Weekly:.
“We both adored children and had always wished to have our own. I did become pregnant, but I miscarried the child. It was quite tragic, I had no idea how emotionally draining miscarriages are. ”.
Following his roles in “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost,” Swayze enjoyed a successful career. However, tragedy struck in 1990 when Niemi miscarried. In his autobiography, he said:.
“I had been so happy that day to go and check on my baby’s heartbeat, but he had died. I couldn’t control it. When Lisa and I arrived in the parking lot, we both sobbed hysterically while holding each other close.
He continued, “I grieved like I hadn’t in years since the death of my father. “Whenever we discuss that day, we both still experience strong emotions. ”.
Swayze’s unhappiness and drinking increased after he agreed to play a part in “Father Hood.”. He portrayed a mafia boss who, after becoming a father for the first time, faced a moral quandary.
Swayze was drinking so much that he passed out several times during filming and had to be repeatedly awakened. But after the movie was over, he realized he had to take charge of the situation.
On a Monday, medical professionals informed Niemi of their finding.
Swayze tried his best to handle the situation, but his sadness persisted. He fought hard to be taken seriously as an actor and battled his image as a sex symbol.
However, his career started to wane in the 1990s, and in 1994, he experienced yet another tragedy when his sister Vicky committed suicide.
After being thrown from a horse in 1997, Swayze nearly lost his ability to move. He consequently broke both of his legs and sought solace in the bottle.
Especially when the subject of fatherhood was brought up, Swayze occasionally pretended to be inoffensive for weeks before erupting in rage.
Due to his issues, his relationship with Niemi deteriorated as well, and in 2004 they briefly split up. But after taking a break from their careers and getting a remote New Mexico property, the couple reconciled.
Swayze appeared happier and spent a lot of time riding horses, but his happiness was fleeting and ended in 2008 when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Niemi explained how they found out about his diagnosis in her Daily Mail essay. They were allegedly at a friend’s house on New Year’s Eve 2008, according to her. Swayze frowned but said nothing as the toast was made with the cups raised.
The following week, when he approached her, he inquired as to whether his eyes appeared yellow. She acknowledged that they did and suggested that they see a doctor.
The results of tests and imaging revealed that Swayze had a tumor on the head of his pancreas. The hospital’s test results later revealed he had pancreatic cancer.
However, Niemi learned about it first and kept it from Swayze, so he wasn’t aware of it right away. The following morning, a young surgeon informed Swayze of his prognosis. As alarm started to grow in his eyes, Swayze quickly cast a glance at his wife.
Niemi claimed in an ET interview that Swayze’s struggle with the disease was the worst thing anyone could have to go through. The woman said:.
“You fight every day for that person’s life. I know he fought every day for his rights. It was incredible that he lived for 22 months considering his illness.
In the Daily Mail article, Niemi stated that she and Swayze celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary on June 12, 2008, at their New Mexico home.
She asserted that they started spending as much time as they could together once he felt better and his treatment was stable.
For their anniversary, she made picnic-style food that she could warm over a fire, and they set out for their go-to camping spot. After lunch, they sat back, enjoying the comforting aroma of pine as they watched the activities of the afternoon.
The couple rounded up all the cattle at the “Burro Pasture” in late June with the aid of friends. In close proximity to the Tecolote River, the young calves were treated and brandered.
Swayze put on his cowboy garb, including his chaps, mounted a horse, and began roping the calves and bringing them in for care.
The impending rain caused Swayze to become bone-dry.
The wet and chilly couple quickly loaded the horses into their cars before grabbing their coats and heading inside.
They were enjoying themselves, but Niemi was secretly laughing because her husband wasn’t supposed to be alive, but there he was working on the ranch and enjoying every minute of it.
She claimed that Swayze was adamant about continuing to work on “The Beast,” a brand-new television detective series shot in Chicago, despite his illness and the discomfort. The project was a wonderful learning opportunity that inspired many people.
The series, according to Niemi, altered Swayze and made him seem like a different person. He was acting like the assertive, go-getter he once was, and it washed over her like a wave of energy.
When she finally saw him, she felt relief.
The actor, who was adamant that the production would not make his role any easier, also returned one day upset that a stuntman had been asked to perform a stunt that was meant for him. In September, he turned to Niemi and said with hope in his eyes.
“I’ve been in such great shape, I almost feel like myself.
After that, Swayze had to deal with his hair loss. Niemi clipped her husband’s hair after obtaining a pair of horse clippers and a size-15 blade from the barn. After that, she felt he looked fantastic and gorgeous every time she caught a glimpse of him.
Abraxane, a chemotherapy drug, was Swayze’s treatment of choice for her breast cancer. As soon as he started taking the medication, his blood and scans started to improve. But he was staying in bed more, feeling worse, and having more abdominal pain.
Drs. issued a warning about diseases spreading. Chemotherapy was unable to cure Swayze. His best chance of surviving was to see the advent of better medical care. Nothing, though, actually happened.
Swayze had a serious illness relapse by September 2009 and was unable to tolerate chemotherapy. Doctors informed Niemi that they made that choice on Monday afternoon.
Niemi realized that if she didn’t let go, her heart would have been ripped apart. She had to keep reminding herself that it was all about her and Swayze’s love and not about her in order to deal with the feeling that she had failed.
Niemi revealed that Swayze gave his farewell speech on a Friday night. Her brother Eric and his wife Mary entered the bedroom through the door to see him. They were glad to see them and were greeted by an inebriated Swayze. Niemi penned:.
“Patrick’s last words to me were ‘I love you,’ and they were also mine. Everything happened quickly once I got him home. ”.
Niemi claims that Swayze was once in a semi-coma before going completely unconscious late on Friday night. Nevertheless, they talked to him and sat next to him.
The times she held his hand, listened to music, and fell asleep with her arm around him and her head on his shoulder were among her favorite private times with him.
On September 14, 2009, early in the morning, Niemi watched Swayze’s face and listened to the few breaths he was taking. She finally realized it had a delicate, youthful quality when the time was right.
She didn’t want to leave the room because she was afraid of getting scared all of a sudden. She sat down next to him, took his hand in hers, and felt his pulse again. He stopped breathing. Niemi penned:.
“It was ten in the morning.
m.
He had to leave that body behind because he had used every last bit of it. ”.
Niemi and Swayze faced many difficulties together. Despite everything that happened to them, they remained in love and adoration of each other until the very end. Since then, Niemi has remarried, this time to jeweler Albert DePrisco, whom she wed on May 25, 2014.
