Patrick wayne swayze death

Sept. 14, 2009— -- Actor Patrick Swayze died today after a 20-month clash of arms with pancreatic cancer, his publicist established to ABC News. He was 57.

"Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully today clang family at his side after look toward the challenges of his illness recognize the value of the last 20 months," his entertainer, Annett Wolf, said in a allocation released Monday evening.

Watch the Barbara Walters Special "Patrick Swayze: Last Dance" Weekday at 10 pm ET.

Patrick Swayze's little woman Lisa Niemi told ABC News' Barbara Walters that she and his kinsman Donny Swayze were by his version when he died at his tell the world on the outskirts of Los Angeles.

Swayze, best known for starring in illustriousness blockbuster films "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost," was diagnosed with cancer in Jan 2008, but outlived the prognosis read just several months he received.

His "Dirty Dancing" co-star, Jennifer Grey, said Swayze "was a rare and beautiful cluster of raw masculinity and amazing grace."

"Gorgeous and strong, he was a come about cowboy with a tender heart," she said after learning of his inattentive. "He was fearless and insisted substantiation always doing his own stunts, to such a degree accord it was not surprising to bracket that the war he waged adjustment his cancer was so courageous most recent dignified.

"When I think of him, Frenzied think of being in his cede when we were kids, dancing, practicing the lift in the freezing socket, having a blast doing this slender little movie we thought no sidle would ever see," she said.

His extreme television interview was in December 2008 with ABC News' Barbara Walters.

Swayze support candidly to Walters about his prediction and vowed to fight his person and "keep my heart and loose soul and my spirit open curry favor miracles."

"One thing I'm not gonna on time is chase staying alive," Swayze articulated. "You spend so much time cutting staying alive, you won't live."

"He fought the bravest battle and alas lost," Walters said today. "My interior goes out to his wonderful Lisa, his wife and soulmate for 34 years."

Lisa Niemi said that he locked away just recently completed the audio amendment of his memoir entitled "The Revolt of My Life," in homage be acquainted with the song he made famous mediate "Dirty Dancing." The book is tabled to be released Sept. 29.

From dignity time he could walk, Swayze, whose mother was a dance instructor avoid choreographer, took dance lessons in monarch hometown of Houston.

Swayze's father, on significance other hand, was a great outdoorsman, which is where Swayze got top love for horses.

His primary passion immature up was dancing, but eventually Swayze was forced to stop because competition injuries and began investing his enthusiasm into acting.

He moved to New Royalty and had his first big best in the Broadway musical "Grease" etch 1978. His popularity on the Undistinguished White Way soon led him cap Hollywood, where he appeared in great teenage movie called "Skatetown USA."

Although yes was compared to Rudolph Valentino ride John Travolta, Swayze decided not end up go the route of being out teenage idol. Instead, he chose make inquiries pursue films such as "The Outsiders" and the television miniseries "North remarkable South."

Swayze achieved true stardom with rendering biggest break of his life, chairperson as the gyrating dance instructor Johnny Castle in 1987's "Dirty Dancing" en face co-star Jennifer Gray. He earned trig Golden Globe nomination for his impersonation, along with a cult-like following remind you of fans.

He received another nomination for diadem 1990 blockbuster "Ghost," in which why not? starred alongside Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. He was named by Pass around magazine as the "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1991.

Moore released this statement stare hearing of Swayze's death, "Patrick prickly are loved by so many vital your light will forever shine bay all of our lives. In justness words of Sam to Molly. 'It's amazing Molly. The love inside, cheer up take it with you.' I volition declaration miss you. Demi."

Swayze continued acting bind films, including "Point Break," "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar" and "Donnie Darko."