by Shannonn Kelly
2:34AM, EST, Tuesday September 15, 2009

It is with sadness that we report actor Patrick Swayze lost his nearly 2 year battle with pancreatic cancer Monday morning at his horse ranch outside of Los Angeles. He was 57.

In 1987 Patrick Swayze danced into our hearts as the romantic leading  with the hot moves and a open heart in Dirty Dancing with Jennifer Grey and Jerry Orbach.

He moved us again in the quite well written Ghost (1990), opposite Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg.

These two box office smash films are synonymous with his name mainly due Swayze’s genuine on-screen chemistry with his co-stars. Ghost was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, winning for Best Original Screenplay, as well as Best Supporting Actress for Whoopi Goldberg. Swayze was nominated for a Golden Globe.

In January of this year, he had talked with Barbara Walters and said he was never one to run away from a challenge but, that he was “going through hell“, adding, “It tests everything I believe in“.

On January 9th, 2009 Patrick Swayze, who had been battling pancreatic cancer for the past year, was supposed to attend TV Press Tour in the afternoon to promote his new A&E series ‘The Beast‘, in which he plays a grizzled FBI Agent. But, CEO Abbe Raven opened the session with the announcement: “Patrick has checked himself into the hospital. He asked us to go forward with the panel. We wish him the very best.”

Reports were that Swayze had pneumonia and was said to be a complication of chemotherapy treatments for Swayze’s cancer.

A&E President Bob DeBitetto elaborated: “Patrick checked himself into the hospital for observation after coming down with pneumonia. He wants you to know he’s very sorry he can’t be here, and that he plans to get back to promoting ‘The Beast’ after he gets back on his feet and is feeling well again.”

‘The Beast‘ showrunner John Romano said: “We work in the shadow of a tremendous act of courage.”, when speaking of Swayze.

On January 16, Swayze was released from hospital to rest at home with his wife, Lisa Niemi whom he’s been married to since June 12, 1975. On April 19, 2009, doctors informed Swayze that the cancer had again metastasized to his liver.

Swayze appeared on the ABC, NBC, and CBS simulcast of Stand Up to Cancer in September 2008, to appeal to the general public for donations for the initiative.

Swayze said to a standing ovation “I dream that the word ‘cure’ will no longer be followed by the words ‘it’s impossible’. Together, we can make a world where cancer no longer means living with fear, without hope, or worse”.

After the show ended, Swayze lingered onstage and talked to other cancer patients; executive producer Laura Ziskin said, “He said a beautiful thing: ‘I’m just an individual living with cancer’. That’s how he wants to be thought of. He’s in a fight, but he’s a fighter”.

Co-star Travis Fimmel said of working with Swayze on The Beast: “It’s been an absolute inspiration for me. You can’t help but respect him. he makes the little things seem so not important…”

Our heartfelt condolences to his wife Lisa and to Patrick’s friends and colleagues…

To read more about Patrick Swayze’s career, please click here.