Growing up, I loved Patrick Swayze. He was the man - from Roadhouse to Ghost, to Dirty Dancing to Next of Kin, they were all great in their own way. The man could act, dance and appeared to be living the dream.
What was amazing was that he was always destined for greatness. His mother named him Patrick, as she thought his name would look good on a billboard. Imagine that. His mother was a dance instructor, and that is where Patrick learnt the art of dance, and met his life long love Lisa Niemi. She is extremely attractive, and the pair looked like the perfect couple. She also followed a career in dance, though appeared to take the support role, and let Patrick take the lime light.
Patrick Swayze was a fighter, he suffered major injuries during his dancing and acting career, which did not stop him one bit. He trained and worked with significant pain. He also suffered the pain of alcoholism, he lost his father (which was extremely tough) then he lost his battle with cancer.
You know, this was one of the most motivational books that I have read as part of this blog. Patrick Swayze never gave up, never did things in halves, never lost his sense of family (or earthy things - the pair loved horses) and he never lost his sense of fighting when the chips were down.
He and Lisa Niemi spent time on the bread line, they fixed furniture to make ends meet, they separated for a period, and they, sadly, never had kids. They had a great life, though, and one that gave us all joy and happiness. It was an amazing journey, and one that I loved. It is time to pull out Road House again and watch him go around with Sam Elliot, including getting stitched up without pain killer. You know, if that was real life, especially after reading the book, it is not a stretch to imagine him doing that.
The blurb from the book reads:
"In September 2009 movie star Patrick Swayze lost his long and bravely fought battle against pancreatic cancer. Dedications soon came flooding in from Swayze's many friends in film and television as well as from his legions of adoring fans. His was a life richly led and this memoir, completed just weeks before his death, is a testament to the strength and passion of this remarkable man. It was January 2008 when Patrick Swayze was given the worst news of his life. What he hoped was just a stomach ache was actually stage four pancreatic cancer. This book isn't just the story of Patrick's fight against cancer. In the public eye from the early 1980s, this is the story of a remarkable life and career. Intended as a low budget, straight-to-video production, Dirty Dancing became a cult hit and remains one of the most enduring films of the 80s. Ghost cemented Patrick as a hugely bankable star, in a role that has had a considerable cultural impact. Most recently Patrick returned to the public's adoring arms in TV's The Beast. This book will chronicle Patrick's personal life, too -- including his treatment for alcoholism following the death of his father and sister's sudden death. What remained a constant in Patrick's life was his marriage and Patrick and Lisa's love story is inspiring, honest, heartfelt and transcends the typical celebrity marriage. This is a book that anyone who has faced cancer or a terminal illness can turn to: Lisa and Patrick have shown the world that cancer isn't just a diagnosis given to one individual, but a disease that can bring a household together or pull a family apart. Bold, honest and inspiring, Patrick Swayze's memoir is the story of a remarkable man's life and career and of his refusal to give up without a fight."
A 4.75 out of 5 for me for this one. Loved it. Loved the fight, loved the spirit, loved the ups and downs and loved the down to earthiness of this man, who the world will miss.
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