Lisa Niemi, the widow of Hollywood star Patrick Swayze, has revealed that she continues to speak to her late husband's spirit every day, nearly 17 years after his death. In an emotional interview, she described feeling his presence and hearing his voice, which provides her with comfort and guidance.
"I still feel him with me every day, and hear what he would say to me about certain things. It’s great," she said. "I talk to him, I feel him. I hear his voice in my head. He gives me advice, and I am absolutely certain that he is there whenever I need him."
Niemi, who was married to the 'Dirty Dancing' star for 34 years, said the loss was devastating and the loneliness profound. Swayze was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer in 2008, and died in September 2009. "When the doctor left the room, he turned to me and said, ‘I’m a dead man,’" she recalled. "He knew something about pancreatic cancer… he knew that it was almost a death sentence."
Now living on a horse ranch in Florida with her second husband, jeweller Albert DePrisco, Niemi said Swayze remains a constant source of strength. She has also become an advocate for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and reflected on neglecting her own wellbeing during her husband's illness. "I kept everything down outside of me because I was being strong for him. It was the biggest battle of my life," she admitted.
