Las Vegas Weekly

September 14, 2009 · 6:27 PM

Our heartfelt condolences to Patrick Swayze’s family

By Robin Leach

Patrick Swayze and wife Lisa Niemi outside Planet Hollywood.

Photo: Tom Donoghue/www.donoghuephotography.com

After a painful, nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer, actor Patrick Swayze, who set hearts aflutter as Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing and opposite Demi Moore in Ghost, has died. Patrick was 57. He was last in Las Vegas in November 2007 attending the grand opening of Planet Hollywood with his wife of nearly 40 years, Lisa Niemi.

Our contributing photographer Tom Donoghue, who pulled up his photos from that visit, recalled his behind-the-scenes conversation with Patrick at Planet Hollywood:

“I was always impressed by Patrick’s comments about his wife Lisa. ‘We were friends for a long time before we became lovers,’ saying that he had lived with his wife for a year before they had sex. ‘It was a tough task to accomplish, as we were sharing the same bed. I never took part in all that locker room banter about sexual conquests. All those guys who say they go out every weekend looking for women usually wind up getting drunk and never ending up with anyone. I had somebody real to go home to.’ ”

Said Tom: “I feel very lucky to have spent a few moments with Patrick that opening weekend at Planet Hollywood ... and remember saying to him, ‘Yes, I also believe that it is easy to be lovers with someone, but a real friend, ‘a buddy,’ is something special, something you cherish forever.’ Patrick smiled, shook my hand. I took his photo with his wife, lover and friend and said goodbye."

Patrick died this afternoon with his wife and family at his bedside. Our condolences to his family. He was a true gentleman and a heroic star in every sense of the word.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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