RIP Patrick Sawyze (1952 - 2009)

SEPT 15, 2009 - Actor Patrick Swayze died yesterday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 57.

Swayze, an actor and dancer who cemented his status as sex symbol with Demi Moore in the 1990 romance drama, Ghost, died at his home near Los Angeles. His most iconic role was as a dance instructor in Dirty Dancing (1987). He was listed by People magazine as its "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1991.

“Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully today with family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the last 20 months,” publicist Annett Wolf said in a statement yesterday.

Swayze was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer, one of the most deadly forms of the disease, in January 2008. At that time the cancer had already spread to his liver but he fought the disease and had treatment with an experimental drug. Meanwhile, he filmed a new detective series for television called “The Beast” in which he played the gruelling lead role. The series was broadcast on Astro in Malaysia.

Swayze leaves behind his wife, Lisa Niemi (pictured with him at the Oscar Awards in 1989), whom he married on June 12, 1975. The couple first met in 1970 when Swayze was 18 years old. Niemi, 14 years old at the time, was taking dance lessons from Swayze's mother. Swayze and Niemi had no children.