Patrick Swayze
Patrick Swayze has died of pancreatic cancer aged 57.
The star lost his battle with pancreatic cancer after two years of contracting the disease. He died on Monday with his family by his side.
The news was released by Swayze’s publicist, Annett Wolf who said that he had been diagnosed with advanced stage four pancreatic cancer in January last year.
Despite his illness the Dirty Dancing star starred in the US TV show The Beast. He also planned to write a memoir with his wife.
Annett said, “Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully today with his family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the past 20 months.”
No other information was given.
Jennifer Gray, who co-starred with Swayze in Dirty Dancing, said, “Patrick was a rare and beautiful combination of raw masculinity and amazing grace. Gorgeous and strong, he was a real cowboy with a tender heart.
“He was fearless and insisted on always doing his own stunts, so it was not surprising to me that the war he waged on his cancer was so courageous and dignified.”
Patrick Swayze speaking in 2006, “I am torn between guy movies and heart movies.”
Rob Lowe, who acted in a number of films alongside Swayze, said, “Patrick lived a thousand lifetimes in one lifetime. He was an expert dancer, he wrote hit songs, he starred in hit movies, he was an amazing horseman.
“But the thing I will remember him most for was his amazing love affair with his wife Lisa.”
Demi Moore, who co-starred next to him in the hit film Ghost, said, “Patrick you are loved by so many and your light will forever shine in all of our lives.
“I love and will miss you Patrick.”
Greg Kilday, the film editor for Hollywood Reporter, said, Swayze was “in the tradition of a performer like Gene Kelly, who invested dance and romance with a real masculine athletic appeal.”
In January, Swayze admitted he may only have two years to live, but denied that he was near death.
In a US TV interview he said he was “scared” and “going through hell.”
“Am I dying? Am I giving up? Am I on my death bed? Am I saying goodbye to people? No way,” he told TV interviewer Barbara Walters.
“I keep dreaming of a future, a future with a long and healthy life, not lived in the shadow of cancer but in the light,” he said.
The film star’s biographer, Wendy Leigh, who wrote the book Patrick Swayze One Last Dance, said he had endured physical pain throughout his life.
“As a high school athlete he injured his knee tremendously badly, yet he still carried on playing football,” she said.
Sharon Osbourne, Nick Cannon and David Hasselhoff paid tribute to the star.
“As a dancer he had all sorts of injuries and Patrick learnt to live with pain, to fight pain.
“When he got diagnosed with this awful, awful disease he was determined to fight it and actually he lived far longer than most people who are diagnosed with this stage four pancreatic cancer, which was what Patrick had.”
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most virulent forms of cancer which medical experts say has a 5 per cent five-year survival rate.
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