Patrick Swayze's Tragic Last Days Exposed On His 10-Year Death Anniversary
'Dirty Dancing' icon was allegedly abused by wife Lisa Niemi during cancer battle.
Sept. 14 2019, Published 12:10 p.m. ET
This Saturday, September 14, marks the ten-year anniversary of Patrick Swayze’s death.
Fans were shocked and devastated by the Dirty Dancing star's untimely passing at age 57. As RadarOnline.com readers know he died on September 14, 2009, one year after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
But nothing could prepare them for RadarOnline.com’s exclusive 2016 report about how he lived his sad last days — during which he was allegedly miserable with wife Lisa Niemi.
A friend claimed that dying Swayze was imprisoned in a house of horrors — deserted by his allegedly cheating, abusive wife, who left the sickly star to wallow in his own misery.
One of the actor's closest friends exposed Swayze's supposed nightmare marriage, which lasted 34 years and ended with Niemi as his widow.
According to the RadarOnline.com source, Niemi, now 63, allegedly kept Swayze — who’d shrunk to a pitiful 90 pounds — a prisoner in his own home, even banning his mother and loved ones from visiting him.
“He loved her with all his heart but it was a serious love-hate relationship,” the longtime friend told RadarOnline.com.
A spokesman for Niemi called the allegations against her “categorically untrue.”
This summer, however, years after Swayze's death, the family feud went public, with Niemi accusing Swayze's mother of having beat him.
The actor's brother Sean denied Niemi's claims, saying she was only making up lies for money.
He slammed his brother's the widow, revealing, “My family doesn’t even associate with that piece of s**t. There was never any abuse in our family.”
“She has been grubbing for money since he died. Anything that makes her money she’ll tell the press,” he added.
Swayze, a heavy smoker, was making a comeback on the TV show The Beast in December 2007 when he was hit with a burning feeling in his stomach.
By mid-January 2008, Swayze's doctors had diagnosed the actor with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and he began the battle of his life.
Swayze underwent chemotherapy and treatment with the experimental drug Vatalanib at Stanford University Medical Center. But by January 2009, Swayze was hospitalized with pneumonia, believed to be a health complication stemming from his cancer.
Although Swayze soon went home to wife Niemi, he learned in April 2009 that the cancer had metastasized to his liver. Months later, he was dead.
Scroll through RadarOnline.com's gallery for more on Swayze's final days.
Sad Swayze
The sexy star had always flaunted his physicality, but he suffered an excruciating passing.
Insiders wondered if Swayze's heavy smoking was to blame in his cancer death. The Ghost actor had admitted to smoking up to 60 cigarettes a day, as a REELZ documentary disclosed.
Toxic Habit
Swayze was spotted puffing on cigarettes during his cancer battle. His friend dance partner Nikki D'Amico later recalled, “Patrick loved to smoke, just that typical ballet dancer chain smoker. He had a couple of demons that he dealt with.”
Booze Trouble
REELZ's docuseries, Patrick Swayze: The Price of Fame, exposed Swayze’s ongoing alcoholism which followed him until his death.
Bad Shape
Before his death, "Patrick was riddled with injuries, both from dancing and performing his own stunts. It’s clear he was a determined man, used to dealing with and often dismissing pain,” Dr. Michael Hunter, who did not treat Swayze, said on REELZ.
Alcohol Damage?
Dr. Hunter examined Swayze's medical records and found that two years before Patrick’s death, he was suffering from "chronic constipation, weight loss, light-colored stools and jaundice. Jaundice is a sign of a malfunctioning liver. And one of the most common causes for liver damage is excessive alcohol use.”
Hateful Wife
A RadarOnline.com insider has alleged Niemi mistreated her famous husband before his death. His niece, Danielle Swayze, has also accused Niemi of cashing in on the famed actor’s memory after his death by selling his possessions.
Evil Widow?
Niemi inherited the Ghost actor’s entire $40 million estate after his 2009 death from pancreatic cancer. Others close to Swayze have alleged she made his last days a living hell.
Staffer Weighs In
It wasn't just family who revealed Swayze's wife's allegedly scary treatment of him. The Roadhouse star's maid claimed to RadarOnline.com that that he was viciously battered and verbally abused by his hot-tempered, cheating spouse.
Terror At Home?
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Swayze's maid, who didn't want her name used in RadarOnline.com's 2016 report, said of Niemi, “I didn’t see a lot of the abuse but I heard it. When she drank, she would get ‘cabrona’ ” (Spanish for “b****y”). Her spokesperson denied the charges.
Deathbed Abuse?
A friend of Swazye contended to RadarOnline.com that Niemi "would punch and slap him." Her spokesperson denied it.
Brotherly Love
According to Swayze's maid, his sibling Don took care of him — not his wife Niemi. "Lisa would only do things when she had to,” she said. Niemi's spokesperson said claims she mistreated and neglected her husband are entirely false.
