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Patrick Swayze and wife Lisa Niemi© GettyImages

Patrick Swayze’s widow shares heartbreaking moment before his death; ‘I want to live’

Lisa Niemi Swayze opened up about her late husband’s cancer diagnosis and treatment.


Maria Loreto
Senior Writer
APRIL 9, 2024 5:19 PM EDT

Patrick Swayze’s widow is opening up about some of the toughest months of her life. Lisa Niemi Swayze was featured on the “Amy and T.J. Podcast,” discussing her life with Swayze, including the difficult months after they learned of his pancreatic cancer diagnosis.

Sandy Gallin's Christmas Party, 1988© GettyImages
Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi in 1988

Lisa revealed that Swayze wanted to live during the last moments of his life, and that he struggled with the condition, especially since he knew pancreatic cancer was a difficult cancer to beat. She shared a memory of the two spending one of their last getaways in their ranch in New Mexico. "We’re walking along. It’s a beautiful day and he looked at me with tears in his eyes, he said, 'I want to live,'" said Lisa.

Swayze knew from the moment he learned of his diagnosis that his condition was a difficult one."When he first found out he had pancreatic cancer he turned to me and said, 'I’m a dead man,'" said Lisa.

"I didn’t know much about pancreatic cancer, but he did, and from what he knew anytime you heard someone had had pancreatic cancer it was like, 'Well, he’s out of here.'"

Planet Hollywood Resorts Grand Opening   Day 1© GettyImages
Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi

Patrick and Lisa Swayze’s relationship

The couple married in 1975, enjoying a long marriage, with the two often collaborating in various projects. Both were classically trained dancers, and made several plays and works together, including the film “One Last Dance,” which Lisa directed and wrote.

Swayze died in 2009, a year after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.