Patrick Swayze's Widow Remarried After Late Spouse Of 34 Years Blessed Her New Union in A Dream

Lisa Niemi and actor Patrick Swayze first crossed paths as teenagers when Niemi enrolled in dance classes with Patsy Swayze. Swayze appeared to Niemi to be buff, tan and flashing a brilliant smile. Although she was a little reserved, she remembers him as being self-assured and well-liked.

They quickly fell in love, but Niemi wanted to dance and travel before getting married. She had left her home nine months previously and was living with Swayze in a little one-bedroom apartment in New York.

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Niemi avoided the subject of marriage when Swayze discussed it. And when he questioned her opinion on when they should get married, she tried to buy time by responding that they would get hitched the following fall, or 1.5 years later. Disappointed, Swayze answered:

"I think if we're going to do it, we should just do it right away. Like next month. What do you think?"

With a little more convincing, Niemi agreed, and the two made their way down the aisle in 1975. They promised to stick by one another until the end of time.

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They were married to Father Welch, a close friend of the Swayze family and the most amazing priest. He had performed in musical theatre with Patsy, who frequently remarked on his crazy sense of humor.

They regularly made light of how small their New York apartment had been years later after remodeling their Los Angeles ranch home. They would frequently make light of the fact that their bathroom was larger than their entire New York apartment.

Niemi said that as she looked into Swayze's eyes, everything came to life. Their union was however far from perfect and marred by Swayze's "demons" and alcohol. They split up because they couldn't handle it.

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The couple's love proved to be even stronger than Swayze's issues, and after a brief period apart, they were able to reconcile. They were happy together before Swayze's cancer diagnosis brought their happiness crashing down.

Swayze and Niemi were visiting friends in Aspen on New Year's Eve 2008, and everyone had raised their glasses of champagne in preparation for a toast. Swayze grimaced as he drank his drink but didn't say anything. Throughout their journey, the same event repeatedly occurred.

A week later, when they were back in Los Angeles, he went to his wife and asked whether she thought his eyes looked yellow. He had suffered from severe indigestion and had not consumed much food for the previous two or three days.

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Even though Swayze reassured Niemi that there was no need to hurry, Niemi insisted that they would visit the doctor the following morning. However, Niemi was adamant and said:

"No... better to go. This is not normal. Let's get you in."

He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which the doctors feared had spread to his other organs. He would require surgery since, as the physician suggested, it would increase his chances of living.

He was first given a few months to live by the physicians because the sickness was supposedly quite aggressive. Later reports asserted that the outlook was hopeful despite the dreadful diagnosis.

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Niemi was by his side and never left him throughout his sickness. Every day she had with him was something she treasured and celebrated.

Niemi did not see her husband as weak as she watched him struggle with this painful illness. Instead, she was inspired by his selfless decision to use his condition to aid others who were also battling pancreatic cancer.

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Niemi remembers Swayze saying, "I want to live," when they were walking on their property in New Mexico. He continued by stating that everyone engaged in this conflict wants to live and spare their family from suffering and dread.

She claimed that Swayze's illness revealed a side of himself that he had always wanted to embrace: his bravery, humility, resilience, and strength.

Swayze's condition worsened despite the fact that physicians thought he could fight the illness. Niemi persisted in remaining at his side, sharing his bed with him, giving him hugs, and holding his hands.

Sadly, Swayze passed away early on September 14, 2009, while his wife sat by his side and checked his pulse. After just 22 months, the renowned actor died of the disease.

It was a depressing day for Niemi and the entire world. Dealing with the loss became a challenging barrier for Niemi to overcome because she had lost her companion, lover, and husband. Niemi acknowledged that Swayze had transformed into her "angel" during his funeral.

Niemi was still texting her husband on the phone a year after his tragic death. She said that when she texted him, she could sense his presence. Although it might seem unusual, psychologists have identified it as a way to deal with sorrow.

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It is known as magical thinking and is a typical strategy for coping with grief. When she traveled, Niemi would confess that she frequently contacted her deceased husband before weeping slightly. She confessed: "I just put what I always did: 'I love you.'"

"And then I cried for a little bit to myself. So either somewhere out there he received it, or someone's going, 'Somebody loves me!' And you know what? I figured it was a win-win situation." She added.

A few months after Swayze's death, Niemi picked up horseback riding again as a method to deal with the grief. Swayze's white stallion Kuhaylan Roh, which he rode in 2008 as they renewed their vows, was a particular favorite of hers.

She acknowledged that grieving is a persistent feeling. She described it as a scar that may someday diminish but still remains after a wound has healed. She, therefore, appreciates the happy days and takes each day as it comes.

Niemi had a difficult time getting over her loss, but finding love was even more difficult. Through mutual friends, Niemi met Patrick DePrisco a number of years after she lost Swayze.

She had no intention of falling in love again but ended up doing so with the jeweler. She compared falling in love to having a "sick feeling," a "butterfly stomach," "rubbery legs," and "diminished mental capacity." She shared that love felt like:

"Being paralyzed, like some kind of speared fish, floating helplessly after a powerful sedative."

She still loved Swayze, but they parted ways in 2013 because she couldn't face the pain of losing him. Additionally, their romance was put under stress by the issue of their long-distance relationship.

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However, she grieved for hours after they parted ways. Fortunately, they soon got back together and dated before DePrisco proposed to her on Christmas Eve 2013 by getting down on one knee.

Niemi had to take a leap of faith to accept the proposal, and she frequently questioned whether or not she was ready to share her life with another person. She then admitted that prior to the proposal, she had never experienced complicated emotions for either man.

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The proposal implied that she would wed DePrisco, but she soon developed second thoughts. She would reveal to People the fork in the road she frequently encountered: "Albert knew I still loved Patrick and would always love him and told me, 'And I know you love me, and I love you.' How could I not marry this man?"

DePrisco understood her reasoning, but she wasn't convinced. She had a dream about Swayze, though, a month before she married DePrisco.

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She said: "About a month and a half ago, I had a dream about Patrick. It was like he was giving me his blessing and letting me know it was okay."

She got approval to wed DePrisco, and the two exchanged vows in front of 50 family members and friends in May 2014. She did not, however, change her feelings for Swayze after finding love, which puzzled Niemi. Her other widowed friends, though, gave her the reassurance that "love came from the same well."

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Niemi realized that even if her husband was gone, she still had to love him; she is thankful that she still had love to give, and she and DePrisco consider themselves fortunate to be together.

Niemi said that this year was difficult because Swayze would have turned 70 this year. While she acknowledged that this was a hard moment for her, she also kept in mind that mourning has good and bad days because at its core lies love, which gives her comfort. Niemi is content in her marriage to DePrisco, with whom she anticipates a happy future.