Patrick Swayze’s Widow Honors Late ‘Dirty Dancing’ Star on His Birthday

Patrick Swayze left behind movie memories for several lifetimes when he passed away in 2009 from pancreatic cancer. Road House is always on TV at some part of every day, Point Break is an action classic, and Dirty Dancing remains one of the most popular films in history. It has been 13 years since his death, but ahead of his birthday and the 35th anniversary of Dirty Dancing, his widow is opening up about his legacy.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Lisa Niemi reflected on her favorite moments from Swayze’s films, and how much she misses the actor. “I don’t think there’s anything I don’t miss about him,” Niemi tells the outlet.”It’s also the little things. It’s his laugh. It’s the sound of his voice. I feel like he’s with me every day. We had a great ride and there’s so much to be grateful for.”

As for his film career, Niemi has plenty of moments she cherishes and feels capture Swayze best. Her favorite is from Point Break, during one of the many skydiving scenes when the actor waves while falling backward from the plane. “You had to be on your toes around him, let me tell you,” Niemi says, adding that the moment was “quintessential Patrick.”

“We were so used to working together. We always worked on each other’s scenes and our dialogue and all of that stuff,” Niemi says. “I go back and see some of his movies, there’s some of his work that I’m like, ‘Wow, that was great. You really nailed that.’ He did a great job. He’s very talented.”

As for Dirty Dancing, Niemi notes that her late husband wouldn’t want to take part in the proposed sequel, which co-star Jennifer Grey is returning to star in and produce. “He would not do it again,” Niemi tells the outlet. “[The way they] left it was absolutely perfect. There were several iterations of a script for that movie, but Patrick had a high standard and he wasn’t gonna do it just for the money.”

She does hope the film is a success, though, and calls the original “lightning in a bottle.” The upcoming sequel would actually be the second film to follow the original, with Havana Nights getting released in 2004 and Swayze returning for a cameo as Johnny Castle from the original film.

The couple was married from 1975 until his deal in 2009. Niemi has continued work with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network charity, “still in it for Patrick” while also keeping his spirit close by.

“It’s very strange for me, because he’s been gone 13 years now. It’s strange. That’s quite a bit of time, and it’s very strange to have someone so far away and yet have them still so incredibly close in your heart,” Niemi says. “I feel like he’s with me every day, but of course it’d be nice to have him physically in the room. But, I tell you what, we had a great ride and there’s so much to be grateful for.”