Patrick Swayze died of pancreatic cancer on Monday (Sept. 14), bringing to an end a 20-month struggle with the disease.
Tributes from fans and fellow actors have poured in since news of his passing was made public, Jennifer Grey, who co-starred with Swayze in 1987’s 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.
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“When I think of him, I think of being in his arms when we were kids, dancing, practicing the lift in the freezing lake, having a blast doing this tiny little movie we thought no one would ever see. My heart goes out to his wife and childhood sweetheart Lisa Niemi, to his mom Patsy, and to the rest of their family.”
The View co-host Whoopi Goldberg, who won an Oscar for her role in the 1990 film Ghost, which starred Swayze and Demi Moore, said, “Patrick was a really good man, a funny man and one to whom I owe much that I can’t ever repay. I believe in ‘Ghost’s’ message, so he’ll always be near.”
Swayze’s publicist Annett Wolf released a brief statement Monday evening that read, Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully today with family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the last 20 months.”
Patrick Swayze was 57 years old.
