Patrick Swayze’s widow Lisa Niemi reveals she still talks to his ghost 17 years after his death

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Patrick Swayze’s widow Lisa Niemi still talks to his ghost.

She recently told Us Weekly that she and her late husband stay connected through frequent conversations, which helps her cope with loneliness. She feels his presence daily and often thinks about what his advice would be, bringing her comfort.

I feel a strong connection with him, and I can almost hear his voice guiding me. He always feels present, offering support whenever I need it. I still cherish the memories and have photos of Patrick everywhere.

Lisa Niemi has recently shared the incredibly difficult experience she went through when her husband, Patrick Swayze, fought pancreatic cancer. He bravely battled the disease, but sadly passed away nearly 17 years ago. Niemi described the moment they learned of his Stage IV pancreatic cancer diagnosis in January 2008 as the start of an ‘instant nightmare’.

“You can’t really prepare for something like this,” Niemi shared, visibly upset. She recalled that when Patrick first received the news, he immediately turned to her after the doctor left and said, “I’m a dead man.”

He had some knowledge about pancreatic cancer through friends, and understood it was a very serious, often fatal, disease. I wasn’t as familiar with it as he was, but he made it clear how dangerous it could be.

While they pledged to ‘fight this with everything we have,’ she knew the odds were against them.

It felt like a sudden, terrible nightmare. We all feared the worst, but we desperately hoped he would survive, Niemi remembered. She later found love again, marrying jeweler Albert DePrisco in 2014.

After Swayze’s death in September 2009, Niemi was plunged into grief and loneliness.

We were married for 34 years, and he was my partner throughout my entire adult life,” she said. “Losing that connection was incredibly difficult and left me feeling very alone. Looking back, I realize I was even lonelier than I let on at the time.

Niemi fondly remembers her late husband and honors his memory by working with groups like the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Their annual Purple Stride event will be held on May 25th.

‘Oh, yeah, I do. Because he knows I still care, and how much I care,’ she said.

Niemi now understands she didn’t prioritize her own well-being while taking care of Swayze, and she’s dedicated to helping others learn from her experience and avoid the same mistake.

She explained that when she had a free moment, she’d often spend two hours at TJ Maxx looking for the perfect T-shirt, which cost around $12. She considered this her way of relaxing, and it helped, but she wishes she’d done it more often and had more support to prioritize self-care.

She explained that she bottled up her own feelings to be strong for him, calling it the hardest thing she’d ever gone through.

Niemi now lives on a horse ranch in Florida with her current husband, but she still feels close to Swayze and keeps photos of him around her.

All the time she admittedly says to herself, ‘If only he were here. I could share this with him.’

Niemi also discussed rediscovering romance and the challenging conversation she had with DePrisco regarding Swayze.

I asked Albert if my feelings for Patrick still bothered him. He replied that he knew I still loved Patrick, but that he was there to love me now. He understands I’m capable of loving both Patrick and him, he said.

I feel like Patrick would have wanted me to find happiness and companionship. He would have liked Albert, I think – he’s a genuinely good person.

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2026-04-17 22:48