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Politics | 01/07/2009 12:00 pm

Patrick Swayze Proves He's Just as Strong as His 'Dirty Dancing' Days

By The Staff at wowOwow.com
'Going Through Hell' But Fighting © WireImage

The man much thinner and wearier than we remember from the "Dirty Dancing" days tells Barbara Walters in a candid interview that airs tonight on "20/20" that he is scared and angry as he battles the fate of pancreatic cancer. Swayze says:

There’s a lot of fear here … I’m scared. Yeah, I’m angry. Yeah, I’m asking, "Why me?" … I’d say five years is pretty wishful thinking. Two years seems likely if you’re going to believe the statistics. I want to last until they find a cure, which means I better get a fire under it.

With great optimism and strength, he has been able to continue working. So even though he’s not as healthy as the handsome star he was in past movies, he’s just as strong and passionate. The 56-year-old spends long days on the set for a new TV series called "The Beast," an A & E drama about an FBI agent haunted by internal demons. In real life, Swayze fights internal demons of his own. Most patients with advanced-stage pancreatic cancer die within six months of diagnosis. Swayze was diagnosed last January and the malignant tumor on his pancreas spread to his liver. He says he responded well to the first round of chemotherapy until it gradually became less effective. Now, he’s begun a new treatment and continues with a positive outlook. He says:

You can bet that I’m going through hell. I’m at the beginning of my battle. And I expect it to be a long, hard battle, one that I’m going to win. I keep my heart and my soul and my spirit open to miracles. I pray.

Our prayers are with Swayze, his wife, Lisa Niemi, and everyone else touched by the disease. The "20/20" interview airs tonight on ABC at 10 PM ET.

Click here for more of the candid interview.

29 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Jim Henley
This comment was deleted as it violated the Ten Commandments of Posting on our website.
By Jim Henley on 01/07/2009 12:36 pm
Andy C
Thank God, finally: someone to agree that Barbara Walters is not the paragon of women newscasters that people say she is, often with awe in their voices. She’s a terrible journalist, stiff and cold on the air and I’ve often thought, perhaps earned the treatment she got when she was first on the “Today” show. How dare she is right, there are some lines that are not to be crossed…..I’m surprised he agreed to the interview.
By Andy C on 01/08/2009 7:34 am
T P
Jim- He is a class act and a beautiful man who is dealing with a lot right now. Walters is just Walters.
By T P on 01/07/2009 1:41 pm
Diana T
Now here is an example of a beautiful relationship. He met his wife at his mom’s dancing school when she came there as a teen student. They’ve been together ever since, she’s done his choreography, and they have stuck it out through thick and think. You can bet I’ll watch this interview.
By Diana T on 01/07/2009 2:05 pm
deber B
Barbara Walters is long overdue for retirement. I hope Patrick wins this battle.
By deber B on 01/07/2009 3:37 pm
Dona Howlett
My good thoughts and prayers go out to Patrick…… Remember, Patrick chose Barbara to do this interview, He said he trusted her. I think they have a good relationship. I’m looking forward to seeing the Interview tonight.
By Dona Howlett on 01/07/2009 7:49 pm
Ann Coulter Crazy, Souless, Evil B*tch
I hope and pray he wins this battle. He’s at a good place, Stanford Medical Center where my friend went when she had pancreatic cancer and they saved her life. Steve Jobs too. They take a team and holistic approach. My friend did alternative therapies too including meditation, message, swimming, lots of fresh wheat grass, she quit her job as a 7-figure atty and law professor. She cut out any and all stress, installed a water fountain, listened to beautiful music, bought flowers, watched funny films. If Patrick were my friend I’d suggest that when he is at Stanford to go sit in the beautiful Memorial Church there….just breathe….and for the anger….try to get rid of that by writing it all down and then having a ceremony of burning it in the fireplace. Not because that isn’t a legitimate response….but because it won’t do any good and could do harm. One of the reasons my friend thinks she made it is that her husband needed her….that was a terrific motive. And he has that going for him too. Here is another man we’ve all admired and I just really hope and pray that he makes it. If not…he has had time to say goodbye and that is a least one gift under the awful circumstances. I sure do hope so very much that he wins.
DeBúrca obj
It’s good to hear of lives that were saved from this type of cancer. I hope for the same for Mr. Swayze, he sounds like a good man with a good life.
By DeBúrca obj on 01/07/2009 9:26 pm
Diana T
Uh-oh. His immunosystem is run down. And, I wish he had quit smoking. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20251202,00.html
By Diana T on 01/09/2009 4:19 pm
DeBúrca obj
Unfortunately, if the disease doesn’t get a person, often the treatment does. I didn’t know he smoked. You’re right, it probably would have been a good idea to quit.
By DeBúrca obj on 01/09/2009 4:32 pm
Agyness O
Suzanne, I agree with you and think he is in good hands and was so touched by the interview last night. He and his wife are both in a good place with much to live for. I was so encouraged to hear about your friend who survived this awful disease. I have a few health issues right now and would like to know more about fresh wheat grass. Do you have to go buy it daily? Could you keep a weeks supply in the refrigerator. Would appreciate and information that you have. Thanks.
By Agyness O on 01/08/2009 2:31 pm
Tee Zee
Patrick and Lisa are a true class act! What a beautiful love they share…I wish them the best…
By Tee Zee on 01/07/2009 9:45 pm
Barb Bednarz
I lost my husband to complications of lymphoma in December 2007, he finally went down for the count when he was not administered his pre-meds prior to chemo and he went into shock which took his kidneys and heart. I have learned from this life-changing circumstance that I do not fear dying, I look forward to it yet I seem to have purpose here for a while anyway. In December 2008, I grabbed for my nightly pills and also swallowed my hoop earrings which were hooked together. I heard the Chi-Ching as they stuck in my throat. I drove to the fire department a short distance and pushed the button and the operator said, “911, what is your emergency?” I told her I swallowed my earrings with my pills and my throat and chest were hurting. I was admitted to the hospital due to an inverted T wave which I was told was probably caused by a previous heart attack or a blockage. The next morning the doctor performed an endoscopy which proved that the earrings were no longer in the stomach but they also found polyps and erosions so they removed the polyps and started me on a proton pump inhibitor to heal the erosions. I was spared any more GI bleeds because of swallowing my earrings….. The next morning of discharge, I passed my earrings, and heard chi-ching…..they were cleaned up and now are displayed in a memory box with copies of the xrays of them in my stomach which passed without incident. Prior to discharge, my cardiologist advised he wanted to see me on Wednesday. So Tuesday I decided to go to the casino with the Red Hats in a limo to see a show. I listened for a chi-ching but didn’t hear it….I lost my mad money. On Wednesay I saw my cardiologist who advised me that I should have an angiogram the next day. So at 6 p.m. on Thursday, I was interupted during the angiogram to be told that I had three blockages in the right coronary artery plus had a dialation which looked like a blood bubble in the artery. He told me on the table that he could call in a surgeon and do bypass or could try to install stents to open the arteries. I asked for the later and actually prayed that God take me. He did not, I must have a purpose, maybe to humor people, I don’t know but after another week I had another angiogram on my birthday. he checked my left coronary artery which had a blockage but it was decided that my arteries were too agitated to do too much at the time, at least that is what I understood. I have been home now for a week and after visiting my cardiologist again, I will probably have to have my dialation or baloon in my artery surgically repaired in a few months. I cannot believe that I am still here on earth but I realize that God works in mysterious ways even with a couple of chi-chings when necessary, who would have ever have thought that swallowing earrings could lead to such a life-altering reality? Now to change my lifestyle to be kind to my body and let my husband’s memory rest in peace and hopefully realize what it is I am supposed to do. I do believe that the spirit lives on and that our lives are pre-destined and that although my husband is now without pain, I am surviving and yes, Patrick Swayze, miracles do happen and you should never give up hope but live life with Lisa thanking God for another day, maybe dance in the moonlight and know that we are all praying for your recovery.
By Barb Bednarz on 01/07/2009 11:13 pm
Jeannot Kensinger
Barb, thank you for sharing your story. My very best wishes for you to stay healthy.
By Jeannot Kensinger on 01/08/2009 9:35 am
Barb Bednarz
Thank you for your encouragement, I think I was given a wakeup call and even though my husband is gone from sight, he is not far away…Thanks
By Barb Bednarz on 01/08/2009 11:14 am