Lisa niemi
“To be chased by paparazzi when my brother is sick and nauseous and having to drive erratically to avoid them? They physically hurt my brother and then they emotionally hurt him when they came out with all these pictures that - he didn’t want people to see him that way,” Donny concluded.įor more with Lisa and Donny, tune into Access Hollywood on Thursday, May 6.The 12th Annual Texas Conference for Women will be 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. “One night we cranked the music up, beautiful starlit night and just had a great time dancing in the kitchen.”Īs Patrick’s illness progressed, and cancer was taking its toll, Donny had to assume the role of protector, shielding Patrick from the hurtful headlines and relentless pursuit of photographers. “Actually we were in Chicago and Patrick was doing ‘The Beast’ under chemotherapy,” Lisa said. And years later, as he fought the disease, that spark had not diminished. “My big brother was just bigger than life.”Īs is obvious in some behind-the-scenes footage from the new, “Dirty Dancing: Limited Edition” keepsake DVD, Patrick’s enthusiasm for life and his work could not be contained. He had an opinion about everything! He had a strong personality,” Donny added of his brother. “He was there with the people he loved around him, yeah,” Lisa said. “Was there a smile on his face, a tear in his eye?” Billy asked. “When it was time to go he went, he went very gracefully,” Lisa added. “But he had been fighting for his life up ‘til, just I mean, ‘til he couldn’t fight any longer.” “I think, yeah, there was peace at the end,” Donny said. “Was he fighting to the end? Was there a moment of peace? People would like to know that,” Billy said. Lisa and Donny Swayze, who bears a striking resemblance to his older brother, were at Patrick’s bedside when he passed.
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Patrick fought a valiant 20-month battle against pancreatic cancer, even completing a season of the A&E series “The Beast” while in the throws of the disease. “Until you’re really there you just don’t have much of an ideal.” “People don’t talk much about the grieving process, so I’m surprised just how difficult it can be,” Lisa added. “It’s hard not to feel like there’s a huge hole inside of you because, you know, we were very attached. “Patrick and I were together for a very long time,” Lisa said.
“It’s been a longer, harder road than I ever imagined and I’m really grateful when I have good days,” Lisa told Billy.Įight months after Patrick’s passing, Lisa is still adjusting. Coping, however, following his death, Lisa says has been difficult. Lisa was with Patrick during his career climb and she was there, along with Patrick, during his cancer fight. Patrick and Lisa were soul mates in the truest sense of the term. “Even though there’s no wind?” Billy asked. I have some chimes outside my bedroom and on a windless evening when I take the dogs out for their last walk, they ring,” she said. “Do you feel his presence each day? Some days?” Billy asked. We had some really rough moments but also we got those really fantastic moments because we did stay together.” “It was the easier way of doing things at that moment. “Well, sometimes people, they could be irrational and maybe not let you leave,” Lisa explained. Why did you leave in the middle of the night?” Billy asked. They even separated for a year when Patrick was drinking heavily.
Lisa, however, isn’t shy when it comes to admitting that theirs was not a fairytale marriage. Lisa and Patrick met as teenagers in Texas in his mom’s dance studio and were married for 34 years. “I don’t know if that’s something that would work now and certainly it’s not something I’m gonna remotely… even entertain idea of for some time,” Lisa said. “Ever think about it now? Or could you not do it without him?” Billy asked. “You guys discussed adoption, I’m sure, at some point?” Billy asked. But some things, you just have to live with and be grateful for the things that you do have.” “Just for whatever reason that’s something that didn’t happen and something that, you know, I have had regrets about. “Both of us always wanted to have kids,” Lisa said. “Any regrets over the years not having kids?” Billy asked. Lisa recently sat down with Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush for an exclusive interview, where topic No. This time has not been easy for Patrick’s wife, Lisa Niemi (after 34-years of marriage, she prefers to be known as his wife, not his widow). It’s been eight months since Patrick Swayze lost his battle with pancreatic cancer.