Lisa Niemi Faces Backlash for Remarrying After Patrick Swayze's Passing: Understanding Her Perspective

Patrick Swayze s Widow Got a Lot of Flack for Remarrying After His Death 374

Lisa Niemi and Patrick Swayze. Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage

Lisa Niemi, widow of Patrick Swayze, is sharing her journey of finding love after experiencing loss. At the age of 67, Niemi was married to the Dirty Dancing actor for over thirty years until he passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2009. During an appearance on the "Amy and T.J." show on Monday, April 8, Niemi talked about the criticism she faced when she remarried Albert DePrisco after Swayze's death.

"I received a lot of criticism from some passionate fans of Patrick. They thought I was evil just because I used to be married to him. It was like people were saying, 'How dare you.' But I just had to deal with it and move on. There were moments when I wanted to tell them to put themselves in my shoes. Losing my husband doesn't mean I stopped loving him."

She added, "It's just ridiculous to think that way."

Niemi married jeweler DePrisco in 2014. They met three years after Patrick's passing. Lisa shared that if they had met earlier, she wouldn't have been prepared.

She expressed, "Patrick is still a part of me. I still feel connected to him." Although he is not physically present, she feels his presence daily. She added, "I truly fell in love with Albert, and it didn't diminish my love for Patrick at all."

Patrick Swayze s Widow Got a Lot of Flack for Remarrying After His Death 373

Courtesy of Lisa Niemi Swayze/Instagram

Niemi shared that even though Swayze is no longer here, it doesn't mean she has stopped loving. She mentioned, "I feel lucky that Albert and I found someone else to share that love with."

Reflecting on over ten years since Swayze's passing, Niemi revealed that talking about her late husband can be challenging. She expressed, "It brings up memories that are not always easy to think about." Despite the difficulties, she empathized with others facing a similar situation. She said, "I understand the struggle of fighting for someone you care about, especially when resources are limited. We all have our time, but we deserve a chance to fight."

Swayze’s representative confirmed in a statement from September 2009 that the actor passed away peacefully with his family by his side after battling his illness for the last 20 months.

Two years prior to his passing, the Ghost star attributed his inspiration for his iconic film characters to Niemi.

“Lisa and I have built just about every character I’ve done,” he told People in 2007. “You have to understand, we have an ease. … We’ve been partners for a long time.”

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