After Patrick Swayze, Lisa Niemi’s husband, went away, she was at a loss for how to continue with her life. She had spent decades with her “angel,” and she was unable to get over the fact that he had passed away. After many years had passed, she began having nightmares about him, and in those dreams, he blessed her second marriage.
The actress Lisa Niemi and the actor Patrick Swayze first became acquainted when Niemi received dancing lessons from Patrick Swayze’s mother, Patsy. The first thing that stuck in Niemi’s mind about Swayze was that he was ripped and bronzed, with a captivating grin. She remembers him as self-assured and extremely well-liked, despite the fact that she had a timid personality.
They quickly discovered that they had a deep connection, but Niemi was determined to pursue her passion for ballet and travel before settling down. She had moved out of her parents’ house nine months previously and was cohabitating with Swayze in a New York City studio apartment with just one bedroom.
When Swayze brought up the subject of marriage, Niemi quickly changed the subject. And when he asked her when she felt they ought to be married, she attempted to buy time by claiming that they would wed the following autumn, which would be around a year and a half later. Swayze responded, disheartened, saying:
“If we are going to accomplish it, I believe we need to get started on it as soon as possible. Such as the next month. What are your thoughts?”
After a little more persuasion, Niemi agreed to the union, and in 1975, the two of them said their vows in front of family and friends. They committed to one another that they would never separate even in loss, it was a pledge they made to one another.
They were married in front of the most reverend priest there is Father Welch, who is also a friend of the Swayze family. Patsy had worked with him in various musical theater productions, and she often remarked on his wacky sense of humor.
They laughed about how cramped their New York apartment had been often after they had completed the renovations on their ranch house in Los Angeles several years later. They used to joke that the size of their toilet was comparable to that of their whole apartment in New York.
According to Niemi, whenever she stared into Swayze’s eyes, everything around her seemed to come to life. Despite this, their marriage was far from ideal and was hampered by Swayze’s so-called “demons” as well as his misuse of alcohol. They were not able to deal with the situation and eventually split up.
Despite the fact that Swayze’s issues made it impossible for the couple to be together, their love proved to be much as powerful, and after a brief period apart, they came back together. They enjoyed a healthy relationship until Swayze was diagnosed with cancer, which brought their happiness to a crashing halt.
On New Year’s Eve of 2008, Swayze and Niemi were spending the holiday with friends in Aspen, and when the clock struck midnight, everyone lifted their glasses of champagne in anticipation of a toast. Swayze frowned as he drank his beverage, but he maintained his silence throughout. Throughout the whole of their vacation, the same thing continued to occur.
After they had been gone for a week and had finally arrived back in Los Angeles, he approached his wife and inquired as to whether or not his eyes seemed yellow. He had been suffering from a severe case of dyspepsia for the last two or three days, and as a result, he had eaten very little during that time.
Even though Swayze reassured Niemi that there was no need to be in a hurry, Niemi insisted that they go to the physician the next morning. Despite this, Niemi remained emphatic and said that
“No… it’s probably best to go. This should not be happening. Let’s get you in.”
The medical professionals were alarmed when they found out he had pancreatic cancer since they believed it had already spread to his other organs. It had been recommended by the attending physician that he have surgery in order to improve his chances of survival.
In the beginning, the physicians estimated that he only had a few months left to live due to the aggressive nature of the illness. However, following reports reported that despite the awful diagnosis, the prognosis was hopeful. This is despite the fact that the prognosis was positive.
Throughout the whole of his sickness, Niemi never left his side and remained at his bedside the entire time. She counted each day that she was able to spend with him as a win and treasured those times immensely.
Niemi’s perception of her husband’s strength did not change as she saw him fight against this debilitating illness. She liked his courageous approach to utilizing his condition to promote awareness and aid those who were coping with pancreatic cancer instead.
Niemi described the moment when Swayze looked at her with glazed eyes and said, “I want to live.” They were strolling on their property in New Mexico at the time. He went on to realize that the intention of everyone fighting in this conflict is to survive and free their families from the anguish and dread that they have been living with.
She said that the illness brought out a fearless, modest, resolute, and powerful side of Swayze that he had always wanted to embrace.
Swayze’s health worsened despite the fact that his medical team believed he had a chance of beating the sickness. Niemi did not move from his side, sleeping on his bed, embracing, and holding his hand during their time together.
Swayze took his final breath on September 14, 2009, in the morning, while his wife sat by his side and checked for his pulse. It was a tragic end for the beloved actor. After just 22 months of treatment, the condition proved fatal for the legendary actor.
It was a tragic day for Niemi as well as for the rest of the globe. Niemi had suffered the loss of her friend, her boyfriend, and her husband, and coming to terms with her loss proved to be a challenging obstacle for her. Niemi said that Swayze had become her “angel” when she spoke at his funeral.
Niemi was still contacting her spouse on the phone a whole year after he passed away due to his sad circumstances. She said that sending him a text made her feel as if he was there. Psychologists accept it as a method of coping with bereavement, despite the fact that it may look unusual to outside observers.
The expression “magical thinking” refers to a typical strategy that people use to cope with loss. Niemi would tell that whenever she went, she often contacted her late husband, and thereafter she would cry a little bit. She eventually came forward and said, “I simply typed what I usually did: ‘I love you.’”
“After that, I went into my room and sobbed quietly for a while. Therefore, it is possible that he did get it somewhere in the world, or that someone is thinking to themselves, “Somebody loves me!” And, you are aware of what? I felt that there would be benefits for both parties.” She continued.
Niemi went back to riding horses a few months after Swayze’s loss in order to help him deal with the sadness of losing his friend. She particularly enjoyed riding Kuhaylan Roh, Swayze’s white horse, which was also ridden by Swayze at their vow renewal ceremony in the year 2008.
She said that the feeling of loss is something that never completely disappears. She said that it is similar to a wound that heals but leaves a scar, which may ultimately disappear but will someday reappear. Therefore, she lives in the now and makes the most of these delightful days by taking each day as it comes.
Niemi had a difficult time overcoming her loss, but she found that falling in love was an even greater challenge. Niemi was introduced to a guy called Patrick DePrisco by some of their common acquaintances a number of years after she had lost Swayze.
She had sworn off ever falling in love again, but she found herself smitten with the jeweler. She likened the experience of falling in love to having “a bad sensation, fluttering stomach, rubbery legs, and impaired brain ability.” She explained what love was like by saying:
“Being completely immobilized, like some type of speared fish, float[ing] about aimlessly after taking a powerful sedative.”
Sadly, the couple parted ways in 2013 due to the fact that she had not gotten over her feelings for Swayze and was unable to cope with the loss of him. The uncertainty that surrounded their long-distance relationship put further pressure on their blossoming bond.
Despite this, she sobbed for many hours after they broke up. Thankfully, they were able to get back together not long after that and continued dating for a bit until DePrisco got down on one knee on Christmas Eve, 2013, and proposed to her.
For Niemi, accepting the proposal meant taking a leap of faith, and she often questioned whether or not she was prepared to spend the rest of her life with another person. Then, she admitted that, before the proposal, her affections for both men had never been in competition with one another.
The engagement ring indicated that she would wed DePrisco, but when he proposed, she began to have second thoughts. She would talk about the fork in the path with People, which was a place she often found herself:
“Albert was aware that I had not stopped loving Patrick and that my feelings for him would never change, and he told me, “And I know you love me, and I love you.” How could I refuse to marry such a wonderful man?”
Despite the fact that DePrisco grasped her stance, she was still not persuaded. Nevertheless, she had a dream about Swayze one month before her wedding to DePrisco. In her words: “I had a dream about Patrick approximately a month and a half ago. I was with him. It was almost as though he was granting me his approval and reassuring me that everything would be OK.”
She was given permission to wed DePrisco, and the couple tied the knot in May 2014 in front of fifty of their nearest and dearest relatives and friends. However, Niemi thought it strange that the fact that she had discovered love had not altered the way that she felt about Swayze. On the other hand, her other friends who had also lost their spouses reassured her that “love emanated from the same source.”
She is thankful that she still had love to offer, and both she and DePrisco felt very fortunate to have each other. Niemi came to the realization that the fact that she had lost her husband did not mean that she had to stop loving him.
However, Niemi said that this year was difficult since it would have been Swayze’s 70th birthday if he were still alive. She recalled that although this was a difficult period for her, grieving is a condition that includes both good and bad days because at its core is love, which is what helps her get through the difficult times. Niemi is content in her marriage to DePrisco, with whom she envisions a prosperous and joyous future. Niemi is pleased with her marriage.
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