Patrick Swayze captivated the public with his charm and talent but he also wrestled with personal demons, which were deeply rooted to his childhood and turbulent relationship with his mother, and now his widow is revealing what haunted him.
Ten years after the "Dirty Dancing" star died from pancreatic cancer, his widow Lisa Niemi Swayze is opening up about his troubled past to People and in a new documentary, "I Am Patrick Swayze."
She reveals how Patrick's choreographer mother Patsy pushed him too hard as a child. Although he later credited her for his dancing talent and strong work ethic, their relationship eventually turned into physical violence.
"She could be very violent, but it was nothing compared to what she endured growing up and the stories I heard about what she went through with her own mother," the widow said.
As the founder of the Houston Jazz Ballet Company, Patsy demanded perfection from Patrick while he was growing up in Houston, and would use force to achieve this if necessary.
Lisa recounted a story her husband told her of his 18th birthday to People. Patsy was "laying into him" when Patrick's father intervened and threatened divorce if she continued to hurt their son. She never hit him again, but it was only when Patrick moved out that he saw the abuse for what it was.
Lisa told People that "he became very aware of the positive and the negative aspects of how he was raised," but added that "it made him fight harder."
Mother and son eventually rebuilt their relationship and although it was not rock solid, they remained close until Patrick's death. Patsy died in 2013, four years after her son.
"She was a complicated woman, intense and an amazing life force, " Lisa said. Patrick absolutely loved and respected her."
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