Channel 5 had good viewing last night, a programme all about Christmas records through the ages, brought back some wonderful memories, followed by the sublime "Dirty Dancing". Patrick sadly lost his battle against pancreatic cancer in September 2009, a hugely talented actor taken all too soon.
Just days after his death Simon and Schuster published " The Time of My Life " by Patrick Swayze and Lisa Niemi. I was given a copy of it at Christmas that year. Whilst I had enjoyed watching Swayze portray Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing and then Sam Wheat in Ghost in 1990, I had never been a fan as such.
I am ashamed to say that the book gathered dust on the bookshelf until January 2011. I remember the day well. It was a Sunday and I had finished whatever book I was reading and deciding I would try a different genre ( I have never really been that big on autobiographies ), I picked it up just after lunch, I put it down having read the last page through tears about 10pm that evening.
It is a memoir, written with wisdom and heart which recounts much more than his bout with cancer. In vivid detail, he describes his Texas upbringing , his personal struggle including his seeking treatment for alcoholism following the suicide of his sister in 1994. He covers his rise to fame with North and South and his commercial breakthrough in Dirty Dancing and Ghost and the soul mate who stood through it all, his wife, director and co-author Lisa Niemi.
I had no idea just how difficult it had been for Swayze to achieve his success. The story of his life certainly has an inspirational
value because till the very end he remained a fighter, ready to face both the
external world and his own weaknesses. The book shares honestly the life of one of Hollywood's favorite stars and portrays the
love he held for Niemi, about whom he said , "You are my woman, my lover, my mate
and my lady. I've loved you forever, I love you now and I will love you
forevermore."
If you have not read this remarkable book I can highly recommend it.
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