Swayze's 34-Year Marriage a Special Bond

By PopEater Staff Posted Sep 15th 2009 05:12PM

Relatively few Hollywood marriages stand the test of time, so when one comes along that so clearly exudes love and sincerity, you tend to take notice. Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi were one such couple, and their 34-year marriage was a lesson in dedication and survival through good times and bad.

They led a relatively quiet life together -- for years spending most of their time at his horse ranch near Los Angeles, where he died Monday after battling cancer. But over the years, he's been outspoken in discussing the beautiful nature of their relationship. Flip through the gallery for classic pics, quotes >>

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Patrick & Lisa: A Love Story

A 19-year-old Swayze met Lisa Niemi in 1970 at his mother's dance studio and she immediately brought the cocky hunk and his ego down to earth. "She didn't buy any of my nonsense," he's said of their early days. "We spent half our dates in total silence as she wouldn't talk to me if she thought I was putting on an act." Five years later they were married.

Getty Images

Watch Video Featuring the Couple:

Patrick & Lisa, 'One Last Dance'

Barbara Walter Interview

Stars Remember Swayze on Twitter

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Remembering Patrick Swayze

Actor Patrick Swayze has died at the age of 57 after a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Look back at the highlights of the beloved star's life >>>

Getty Images / Lionsgate Home Entertainment / AP / Paramount / Everett Collection

Stephen Lovekin, WireImage

Tags: lisa niemi, LisaNiemi, patrick swayze, PatrickSwayze

Comments

(212)

Friday 18 September

By cheryle stephens

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Beautifully said.

Tuesday 15 September

By snowhite

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Another dreamy icon gone. Remember first watching dirty dancing? All the good music and cool dancing. We knew it was coming, but it is still sad. To have a realationship that long during these times shows a real testament to him and his wife. May she find comfort at this time.

By shelly

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What an uncaring and incompassionate comment.

By Shelly

RIP Patrick. I grew up with your movies and Dirty Dancing is one of my fav movies of all time. It saddens me to see you go and I hope that you keep on Dirty Dancing in heaven. God Bless!

By Stef

What an a$$inine comment Paul. You're a complete jacka$$.

By jstjuls

Paul, you are without a doubt the lowest form of life. I knew Patrick from high school and he was a really nice guy, people have additions to many things. It must be nice to live in your perfect world. the type of cancer he had has nothing to do with smoking. Please show some respect.

By Anne

Paul there is really no reason for the negative comment. It will solve nothing! You should instead wish her health, love and healing. Some people think its their right to judge what others do. Geez so mean...

By Richard C. Baerlocher

In the mid 90's I was in the Airport in Atlanta, and Patrick was there. He walked up to a food shop, and before he could order the young girl yelled at the top of her lungs, "You’re a Movie Star"! Patrick was wearing his jacket that had the patch elbows. Patrick took off like his tail was on fire. I was stunned to say the least. When I stepped up to the counter there was a bag on the floor. I realized that this man had left so fast that he had left his bag. I stood by his bag until it was retrieved. He was just a little way from me, but did not want to get mobbed by any of his fans. About a year later he was asked on a talk show about his most memorable moment, a he told about this incident. He called me a crazy man. What he meant by the remark about me being crazy is because most people would have stolen the bag. He thought I was crazy because I did not steal it. I think I was just a good Samaritan. I liked Patrick as an actor, and as a person. I would do anything anyone needed if they deserved it. Rich or poor black or white or any other color, if they need help and I am there, I will help. I am one of Gods children.

Patrick Swazye was a very good man that the world will miss.

By Trish

What a wonderful couple. My heart goes out to Lisa & the rest of Patrick's family.

By Gwen

My condolences to Patrick's wife, Lisa and family. I truly admire a wonderful marriage such as their marriage. I am and will always be a fan of Patrick's. I love all his movies and my most favorite movies are, 'Dirty Dancing' and 'Ghost'. They really touched your soul. I really respect the way he and Lisa kept their marriage and their lives to themselves and out of the lime-lite of gossip and lies. God Bless you Patrick. You're in good hands now. God Bless you Lisa.

By Graydonpow

Hey, smartass! My grandmother died of pancreatic 20 years ago, and neither she nor anybody in her family smoked!

People like Paul Thompkins are nothing but a complete waste of skin, air, and space! We should do the world a favor and all pitch in to hire an assassin to take out this walking bag of human filth! Then we can all jump up and down on Paul's corpse and laugh at him because he's dead! How does THAT sound, Pauly boy?

By karen

I'm sorry, but Walters went too far in this interview when she asked Patrick, " do you have any sense as to how much longer you will live?" I think at the end of her life, someone should ask her the same question and see how she feels about it..... She's heartless, insensitive and again, she likes to make people cry, that's her thing.

By rdr7600@aol.com

You really don't have a heart, do you?

By KARY SILVA

I have a deep respect for this couple. Patrick was a Class Act, to say the least. Never giving the tabloids anything to talk about, just about his illness lately. I heart goes to his wife, been a widow myself I know what she'll be going through, not now, but when everyone leaves. I'm sure that in part she'll be glad that his suffering is over, but nothing will be able to replace what they had.
May you Rest In Peace, Patrick. Maybe, like you said in GHOST, the love that you feel will be with you forever.

By alove

That's real 34 years. my heart gose out to his wife i know your hurting right now but just think he doesn't have to suffer anymore but he will always be with you in spirit.

By jw

Tuesday 15 September
By GraydonpowNeutral Vote downVote upReport this
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People like Paul Thompkins are nothing but a complete waste of skin, air, and space! We should do the world a favor and all pitch in to hire an assassin to take out this walking bag of human filth! Then we can all jump up and down on Paul's corpse and laugh at him because he's dead! How does THAT sound, Pauly boy?
With your attitude and you consider yourself better than Paul T sounds like the pot calling the kettle black.

By belle

you do realize he died from pancreatic cancer, don't you? smoking had nothing to do with his disease or his death and frankly, I don't recall ever seeing him with a cigarette, even in a movie role.

it sounds like all anyone will remember about you is how you were never happy unless you were complaining about something.

Wednesday 16 September

By Heidi

Actually smoking has NOTHING to do with pancreatic cancer. Just another uneducated idiot speaking without researching. My condolences go out to the Swayze Family. You will be in my prayers.

By Lane

Nothing in this world can ease the horrible pain Mrs Swayze is going through.
It completely breaks my heart that Mr. Swayze is gone,after such a heroic battle by both of them.
Cancer is taking so many lives, including babies. In my heart,I know there has to be a connection with a food we intake from birth. This diease should have been cured eons ago! My heart to all of us who have watched what Cancer does to the people we love. All types of Cancer are horrific!
I will truly miss Mr. Patrick Swayze!

By Justsaying

Not that I agree with Paul, but how is it compassionate to want to kill him?
And why, if somebody doesn't fall in line wth all the other comments, do we need to get so nasty?
Paul is not the greatest human being, probably, but he has a right to say what he thinks without people jumping down his throat, and threaten to kill him.

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