Patrick Swayze, the Dirty Dancing heartthrob lost his two-year battle with pancreatic cancer yesterday, September 14, 2009.  I can’t say it was a shock… but I had hoped that he would be able to beat it.  He definitely gave it his best.

I had such a crush on Swayze.  Dirty Dancing (from 1987) still is one of my favorite movies of all time – with one of my favorite movie quotes, "nobody puts Baby in a corner."  I wanted to be Jennifer Grey so badly.  He also starred in Ghost along side Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg.  Another of my favorites of his movies.

Two words describe him best – "masculinity" and "grace".

And most recently he starred in a new made for TV series on A&E, The Beast – where Swayze said he forewent pain medication while filming because it would have taken the edge off his performance.  He was a consummate actor to the end.

I don’t know if anyone remembers the mini series North and South – I loved him in that as well.  And the Chippendale skit on SNL with Chris Farley was hilarious. 

Swayze knew the odds were stacked against him but was convinced he could beat pancreatic cancer.  I actually believed he could, too.  I am sad.  I’m sad for his family.  I am also thankful.  Thankful to Patrick Swayze for giving me such fond memories.  And anytime I hear Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers, I have possibly one of the sexiest scenes ever on screen (Swayze and Demi Moore sculpting clay) in my head.

My heart goes out to his family and friends.  I know he and his wife had a beautiful relationship – the ultimate love story!  Lisa Niemi met him when she was just fifteen.  In everything I have ever seen of the two together, they just seemed to be just as much in love as they did when they first met.  I know it must be such a devastating loss for Lisa.

In his memory – I’ll dance today.

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