Patrick Swayze’s Ex-Wife Lisa Shares Rare Photo Honoring Late Husband and Mother-in-Law

Sep 05, 2025 by apost team

American actor, dancer, singer, and songwriter Patrick Swayze is remembered for his leading roles in films such as "Road House," "Point Break," and many more. Swayze was known for his handsome features and was considered a heartthrob. He was named PEOPLE's "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1991.

In 1952, Swayze was born in Houston, Texas, and lived there until he was 20 years old. His mother was Patsy Swayze, a choreographer and dance instructor. The talented actor studied classical ballet and martial arts while in high school. He also played football until he suffered a knee injury that forced him to stop. 

The star began his entertainment career as a dancer and went on to perform on Broadway before making his debut on the silver screen. He received many accolades for his acting, including three Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical. In 1997, Swayze was honored with his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

It's hard to believe that this legendary actor passed away more than a decade ago. A star even before "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost," Swayze will forever be in our hearts. Unfortunately, Swayze died on Sept. 14, 2009, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. His loving wife of 34 years, Lisa Niemi, was by his side the entire time.

The couple met when they were teenagers and got married in 1975. This was four years before Swayze made his film debut in the roller disco film "Skatetown, USA." The lovebirds were together until Swayze passed away. 

Despite having remarried after Swayze died, Niemi has since commemorated the legacy that her ex-husband and even his family have left in the world. 

Niemi talked to Entertainment Tonight about how awful it was to watch her husband fight cancer: "It's the worst thing in the world to go through, you spend every day fighting for that person's life," she continued: 

"I know that he spent every day fighting for his own ... He survived 22 months, which was miraculous with the diagnosis that he received."

Under two years after the initial diagnosis, Swayze succumbed to pancreatic cancer on Sept. 14, 2009. The documentary "I Am Patrick Swayze" came out on Aug. 18, 2019. The documentary isn't just about his triumphs. It also takes a close look at his struggles with alcohol use. Niemi said that he would be fun and bubbly until he was by himself. He would then crash, making their relationship strained and difficult. However, even though there were many challenges to overcome in their marriage, Niemi still loved him.

According to Niemi, Swayze took on a role working on the show "The Beast" while he was fighting pancreatic cancer. She said Swayze was transformed during the role. While he had been spending a lot of time in bed, being in Chicago gave him a fantastic burst of energy. Niemi wrote in her memoir:

"His enormous burst of energy floored me. He was like his old take-charge self, going non-stop. I got Patrick back. He even showed occasional flashes of 'star' behavior, the stuff that would always drive me crazy, like making last-minute, arbitrary demands and suddenly being the unquestionable authority on ... just everything in the universe."

She also mentioned that Swayze never wanted his job to be easier just because he was diagnosed with cancer. Even when his character was supposed to jump over a wall, he insisted on doing it instead of the stuntman who was hired. 

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Niemi also still celebrates Swayze regularly, frequently posting to Instagram to keep his memory alive. Although she remarried in 2014 to jeweler Albert DePrisco, her love of Swayze will likely never cease. She told PEOPLE Magazine in 2014 how her love for both men was never in conflict until DePrisco asked her to marry him. She flipped and flopped on whether to go ahead with the wedding, but ultimately she took a "leap of faith" and decided to do so, telling the magazine:

"Albert knew I still loved Patrick and would always love him, and told me, 'and I know you love me, and I love you.' How could I not marry this man? As I had time to process the change my life was going to take, my doubts became less and less, and I became more and more sure."

Nonetheless, Niemi's love and dedication to Swayze are still there. She frequently posts about him on her social media, and on Sept. 14, 2020, 11 years after his death, she shared a touching post on Instagram that said:

"Celebrating a wonderfully strong, sensitive & special man on the 11th anniversary of his passing. So missed. Can't help but feel a dark cloud today (and all last week!) 😥, but grateful for what we had together. 🌈 What a journey! Blessed, even with the tears."

The Daily Mail cited Niemi's story, where she talks about Swayze's last words before he slipped into a coma from her memoir. She wrote:

"My last words to Patrick? 'I love you,' and those were his last words to me."

In a 2022 interview with "Good Morning America," Niemi talked about her ex-husband's "legacy" and his "grueling" battle with cancer: "He did not want to become the poster boy for cancer (..) He had such a huge, full life and so many things that he did. But he had such a huge heart. We were married for 34 years." She then stated:

"He really was a hero. I saw the man I knew he always wanted to be, which was courageous, truly courageous, humble, loving, determined, strong."

She also recalled getting a "blessing" from Swayze in one of her dreams, telling PEOPLE Magazine:

"It was like he was giving me his blessing and letting me know it was okay. Again, it can be challenging at times to take those steps forward, but it doesn't change the way we feel about someone. He was letting me know that."

Aside from Swayze, she also remembered her late mother-in-law, Patsy, who was supposed to celebrate her 98th birthday on Feb. 8, 2024. Patsy died in 2013 at 86 due to a stroke. Niemi wrote on Instagram: "Thinking of my amazing, talented late Mother-in-law, Patsy, on what would have been her 94th B'day. Her teaching imparted passion & in her 50s/60s she could still out-dance her students. Patrick was always "Patsy Swayze's son" growing up & she was so proud when she became "Patrick Swayze's mom!"

Fans have praised Niemi for continuing to commemorate her ex-husband's legacy and memory despite his new marriage. One of Niemi's fans wrote: 

"Thank you for sharing. I always love to hear about how you are. Keep posting 💕,"

Another user shared: "Lisa it so special to share with us and keep them in the present with your memories xo," while one person said:

"What a perfect memory of a perfect moment." 

Are you a fan of Patrick Swayze? What can you say about Lisa Niemi's commemorative post about Patrick and Patsy? Let us know, and pass this on to your family, friends, and other loved ones out there!