The Unofficial Patrick Swayze And Lisa Niemi Home Page

The official March 5, 2008 press release from Annett Wolf, Patrick's publicist, states:

Actor Patrick Swayze has been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer and is currently undergoing treatment.  Patrick’s physician Dr. George Fisher states, “Patrick has a very limited amount of disease and he appears to be responding well to treatment thus far.  All of the reports stating the timeframe of his prognosis and his physical side effects are absolutely untrue. We are considerably more optimistic.”  Patrick is continuing his normal schedule during this time, which includes working on upcoming projects.  The outpouring of support and concern he has already received from the public is deeply appreciated by Patrick and his family.

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“It's a feeling.  It's a heartbeat,” so says “Johnny Castle” in “Dirty Dancing.”  That feeling and the heavy beating of my heart compel me to share a few thoughts at this time.

Back in 1993, my father died suddenly, and I desperately needed a distraction.  I found it in Patrick.  However, very quickly Patrick mushroomed from a distraction to an absolute pleasure and passion.  He became, and he still is, my all time favorite performer.  I love his acting, adore his singing, and respect the way he lives his life.

Over these last many years, I've had the good fortune to have some contact with Patrick, including the honor of meeting him a few times.  I remember fondly that first glimpse of him in person at the Golden Globe awards and him actually holding my hand for a moment as he passed by.  Oh, the tingle and pure 'yippee' of that moment!  It'll never be forgotten.

I positively treasure the hours spent at the premier of 'One Last Dance' when a bunch of us had the privilege of just hanging out with Patrick and Lisa and their family.  There we were, just laughing and talking.  I never ever thought I'd experience that.  Then there was the surprise of the next day when we were able to just sit back and chat with Patrick.  It was so relaxed and calm, like just spending time with a friend.  Golden hours in Houston these were, ones that can't be equaled by anything else.

Then there was the all-too-brief but fun conversation after the 'Chicago' performance in Los Angeles.  Seeing him perform live was awesome and having just the couple of minutes afterward to talk about it was fantastic.

Patrick is a wonderful person, very caring and kind to his fans.  I've been very lucky to have the contact I've had with him and to have witnessed his spirit in person, and I can't rave enough about Lisa, who is Patrick's perfect soulmate.  She's really special, and I appreciate her greatly.  I give her a lot of credit for keeping Patrick both sane and in check over the years.  As the man himself has said, he's high maintenance, but she's always been there to do whatever was needed to keep him grounded.

I've bemoaned for a long time the change in my personal life since becoming a Patrick devotee.  I have a huge Patrick collection, but my financial situation was altered drastically a few years ago.  I no longer can indulge myself in all my Patrick treats as I'd done before.  Two years ago, I couldn't even afford to renew my fan club membership so now miss out on all the special news and photos.

There are movies he's done in recent years that I haven't seen because I can't afford the DVDs.  I'm not alone -- it's food and the utilities versus the movies and memorabilia.  It's broken my heart, but I've had to back away from the joy of collecting.  That's a big part of the reason why this website hasn't been updated very often.  I feel so 'blah' for not being able to enjoy the SwayzeMania that is still so rooted in my heart and soul.

My troubles seem so small as I consider the press release of today.  I look over now at the DVDs and videos I have from before my personal crisis, and I have a ton from my past indulgences.

Glancing at the titles, I see the movie that first captured my heart -- the mini-series, “North and South”.  Heart be still, there will never be another “Orry Main.”  Patrick is “Orry” in so many ways, and just thinking about my favorite confederate makes me smile and forget my troubles.  I can still quote a lot of the dialogue, and it gets me through some sad times just by reciting it in my head.

I see the movie with “Doctor Max” -- “City of Joy” that teaches us all that there is so much more to life than the money I complain about missing.  I have a roof over my head and a car to drive around in.  The people in Calcutta live in shacks and drive around in rickshaws, or walk on foot, living in miserable conditions.  Still, they celebrate life.

There's “Red Dawn”, the movie that makes me cry so hard and so intensely that it still takes me two days to recover from it, and I'm not kidding.  The movie is so upsetting and so disturbing that it affects me for days.  I have to be very careful when I choose to watch it, but it's a must-see, watching a boy become a man in a space of an hour.

So many wonderful movie memories, like “Tall Tale” where he plays “Pecos Bill”.  Geez, I love to see him ride that huge horse.  The opening scene where he comes thundering across the desert is powerful.  There's “Father Hood”, the feel good movie for me that I can, and do, watch over and over again.  It's good so many funny moments in it, and the ending is happy, and I'm a sucker for a happy ending.

“One Last Dance” -- the ultimate, the story of Patrick and Lisa's love affair, and their dance.  It's intensely emotional and powerful, and how I hate that moviegoers have never really had a chance to take in that movie.  It's so near and dear to the Swayzes, and it's a movie that wakes up your soul.

So many movies, so many laughs, so many tears, so many good times ... it's a long list that needs to get even longer.  We haven't watched enough, not yet!

It irks me when media talks about Patrick needing to make a comeback.  Hey, he's never gone anywhere.  He's doing what he loves, making independent movies that touch him or challenge him.  Unlike some actors, he doesn't need to be 'out there' in the middle of attention.  It was his choice not to make ten sequels to “Dirty Dancing,” not to do five versions of “Ghost,” and not to be an action fighter in three “Roadhouse”-by-any-other-name flicks.  He's not about doing the same thing over and over again.

Patrick is about diversity and learning, and that's what he's done with his career, and I applaud him for staying true to his values in that regard, in giving us the uniqueness of “Jim Lance” in “Green Dragon”.

I want that uniqueness to continue.  There's no comeback to be made; rather, there are simply more parts to be played.

When I heard the news today, my first reaction was a simple, 'No, it can't be'.  Classic denial.  Then I became a bit numb over the reports.  I remember Michael Landon's very rapid demise from this violent cancer not all that many years ago, and I recall a family member's battle with it, too.  After that, there was sorrow and some early tears.  It's a mourning of sorts, I suppose, of a loss that tears at my heart.  Now, I'm just hoping for the best and wanting to believe that Patrick's courage can overcome that “limited” cancer that threatens those roles yet to be acted.

One thing I know for sure.  If there is anyone in the universe who has the mental and spiritual strength to beat pancreatic cancer, it's Patrick Swayze.  He's won many health battles in the course of his life and had successes that some doctors haven't deemed possible.  He's one very determined individual who doesn't know the meaning of 'you can't'.

“Pain don't hurt,” is what “Dalton” from “Roadhouse” states.  I don't know about that, but I know that Patrick has a higher endurance threshold than most and that he doesn't give up.  The man is a fighter and finds resilience from deep down in his soul that I can't even fathom having.  Pain doesn't beat him, and it doesn't scare him.  Nothing does, except maybe the thought of a life without his partner and true love, Lisa.  Their nation of two is one of the most inspiring stories I know, and it warms my heart to no end.

I'm not sure what the coming months hold for Patrick and his family, but I'm rooting for him and cheering him on with every fiber of my being.  I believe in miracles, in good vibes, in angels, and in the power of prayer.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Swayzes, and I hope everyone who reads this will do whatever they believe in, be it sending a happy thought or a saying a silent prayer, and send those in Patrick's direction.  He may be strong, but he's not invincible.  It may not be much, but it's something that we can all do to communicate our love of the man and our appreciation for the gift of his presence on this Earth.

Fight, Patrick.  We need you.  You have way too much living to do to let this thing get the best of you.  Remember ...

“Believe in yourself, and imagine good things ... and moisturize.  I cannot stress this enough.”  If “Miss Vida” says it, it's good advice!