Patrick Swayze Denies Tabloid Reports That He’s Near Death
Posted December 3, 2008 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
If you’ve been in a supermarket recently and scanned the tabloid magazine rack you’ve probably noticed the headlines claiming actor Patrick Swayze is near death.
The Dirty Dancing star, who has pancreatic cancer, denied the reports on Tuesday, saying he’s home with his family for the holidays after finishing work on his new television show The Beast.
“The only thorn in my side being that many tabloids have been consistently reporting lies and false information about me and those close to me,” Swayze said.
“They’re reporting that I’m on my last legs and saying goodbye to my tearful family.”
The National Enquirer printed recently that Swayze’s cancer had spread to his liver, while The Globe put a picture of the actor looking gaunt on the cover with the headline “Swayze Deathbed Secret!”
The Texas-born actor revealed in March that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and since then published reports suggested that he only had weeks to live.
“Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive disease and from the moment I was diagnosed, I knew I was in for the fight of my life,” Swayze said in a recent interview with People magazine.
“It’s a battle, and so far, I’ve been winning. I’m one of the lucky few that responds well to treatment.”
Swayze has appeared in dozens of films and television shows, but is best known for playing dance instructor Johnny Castle in the 1987 smash hit Dirty Dancing.
Actor Patrick Swayze attends Stand Up To Cancer at The Kodak Theatre on September 5, 2008 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Caulfield/Stand Up To Cancer via Getty Images) (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images)
