Patrick Swayze's Widow: 'I Have to Go Through It'

By PopEater Staff Posted Oct 28th 2009 07:14AM

Lisa Niemi, Patrick Swayze's wife of 34 years, told a women's conference Tuesday that the loss of her husband just six weeks ago "is like an animal all of its own" and the sadness could be felt "on a cellular level." PEOPLE reports that Niemi spoke in a roundtable on Grief, Healing and Resilience at the Women's Conference 2009 in Long Beach, California. Niemi told the attendees, "When the grief takes you, it's like your body is not your own. I'm just going with the flow. I know I have to go through it."

Niemi, speaking for the first time since Swayze's death in September, said that she never left her husband's side during the last months of his life. She admitted, "I've spent two thirds of my life with him. ... My regret is that I didn't tell him that I loved him enough over that entire 34 years."

"I am so grateful for what I had and my connection to him, and part of me believes that I will see him again," added Niemi, "and I'm just going to have to go on until then."

Swayze's 'She's Like the Wind,' Which He Wrote for Niemi

Swayze's widow explained that her friends are instrumental in keeping her afloat. "I have a few girlfriends that are just amazing. They have made themselves available to me 24/7. They say, 'We don't care if it's 2 in the morning, call me'," she said. "I was in the middle of a full-blown panic attack one evening ... and I picked up the phone and called one, which is really hard for me to do because I'm used to being so self-sufficient and taking care of myself, but the very act of picking the phone up to call someone helped to calm me."

Niemi and Swayze met as teenagers at his mother's dance studio, and their marriage became one of the most enduring relationships in Hollywood.

Swayze passed away at age 57 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Tags: Lisa Niemi, LisaNiemi, Patrick Swayze, PatrickSwayze

Comments

(211)

Wednesday 28 October

By ADAM

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DIRT NAP. WE ALL ARE HEADED THERE.

By sue

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I really hope everyone boycotts your website. I can't believe you would use this site to advertise on. You should have more respect for us who have lost our loved ones through death. May death come to website.

By cp8967

She is right--there is only one way to get through it and that is to get through it--cannot avoid or put it off. My husband of 41 years died nine years ago and there are still times when I feel like a stranger in my own life. We were married for over half our lives. I think he has made himself known to me several times. No matter what you were able to do for your loved one, you always feel that you did not do enough. I console myself by realizing that I did the best I could.

By Jason Skrew

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Part of her believes she'll see Patrick again? Let me clear this up for Lisa. You're not going to see him again unless you pop in a DVD!

By Breck

10 years ago, Patrick Swayze was on a flight I was working. We caught him in his seat smoking a joint. I couldn't believe it. Not only was he smoking on an airliner but doing drugs! What gall. He didn't even care what anyone thought. It was like he thought he was above the law. And this is way before he knew he had cancer. Please don't glorify this pothead.

By Dori

I don't think anyone is glorifying "this pot head", he was very talented, had a great life, loved his wife...why would you put a damper on someones grief, get over it..

By michael

What a worthless comment? Did you gain anything by making such an ignorant rant?

By Angel

Ever heard of Medicinal marijuana? Are you sure it was Mr Swayze and not a look alike?
I cannot understand why someone would make such a hurtful comment on such a sensitive post.
Tonight when I pray I will pray not only for Lisa to have strength, but also for God to touch your heart Breck.
Judge no lest ye be judged.
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

By JO ANN

BRECK SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE A LITTLE JEALOUS TO ME. PRAY THAT YOU COULD ONLY BE HALF THE MAN PATRICK SWAYZE WAS.

Lisa, I can't imagine how empty you feel, but you will go on, as Patrick would want you to. I have been married for 35 yrs, met him when I was 16, sometimes I really don't like him, but I will always love him, I would be lost w/ out him.

Sunday 01 November

By SALLY

Dear Lisa,I was an air traffic controller at Van
Nuys airport for 33 years and spoke to you and Patrick many times over the years.Both of you are in my thoughts and prayers.I lost my 18 year old son in a car accident so I know your grief.Time will help. SALLY

By katrin

How sobering -- to have known greater love than most, and now ti experience greater loss and pain. And who knew he couls sing so well, too. And hey, you spammers should be more ashamed of yourselves than usual, posting your mindless junk after such a heartfelt story. But in addition to being stupid, you are probably illiterate. Useless, mindless wastes of space, all of you.

By Bill

This short article is comprehensive of what is endured in this type of siuation. So well done!

By movieguy

gonna miss that guy.

By Linda

My father passed away 36 years ago. I see him in my dreams quite a bit. Lately I have had these dreams where all of a sudden he is back in our lives as a family (of course 36 yrs ago) and then he is gone, then I'll dream again that he came back & I'll ask my mother (in the dream) where does Dad go, why does he keep leaving and then come back. and when he is gone we all think he is dead, but comes back alive like nothing happened. And each time he comes back I say oh he never did die. Very weird. But I see him alot in my dreams. I feel good each time I see him. I am 54 y.o. now - he was 48 when he died.

By riverdew149

Thank you all so much for sharing your stories. I take so much comfort in knowing that I am not the only one who has a loved one come and comfort me when things are very grim. I miss them every day, but I do believe we are all connected and that we stay connected. My experiences have been in dreams. There is a difference in a memory dream and a visitation dream. If you ever are blessed enough to experience one, you know the difference. When I shared the experiences with my family, I found that I wasn't the only one who had the experience. Bless you all.

By SMELLYOLDDOG

I lost my wife to cancer in 1995 thats when I died to I cant understand why god hasnt taken me too to end my suffering.....

By Koz

That feeling will be with you for a long time.
I lost my soul mate of 13 years when she died of Pancreatic cancer. The last month of her life was one I would not place on anyone. From the time we found out it was already stage 4 and in her liver. Nothing was working so she decided to stop all treatment and get quality of life instead on quantity. Her daughter and grand daughter came up from Florida and spent 5 months here. Helping me out and spending as much time with her as posible. What ever she wanted where ever she wanted to go we went. It only been 5 months but they have been the loneliest months I have ever spent. Yea I had friends I was with and I would call her daughter or her me. I will win my battle but it will take time. The holidays will be tough. It was already tough for her daughter and grand daughter both their birthday which are a day apart were at the beginning of the month. I miss her so much.

By Samuel Sole

WE ALL DIE ....STOP CRYING ....THERE IS NO HOPE SO START DRINKIN,EATING AND GETTING LAID!IF THAT BORES YOU DO WHAT I PLAN TO DO ONE DAY....BUMP MYSELF OFF!

LIFE IS MEANINGLESS! ABSOLUTELY MEANINGLESS!

By debra

Samuel,

I am so sorry for you. Your comments are not very nice for other people who are grieving the loss of loved ones. Be kind. When a loved one dies, it hurts for a very long time.

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