Patrick Swayze

Through thick and thin everyone needs someone to look up to, someone to call their hero. On September 14, 2009 Patrick Swayze fought his hardest in the battle against pancreatic cancer and for one of the first times in his life, he wasn’t strong enough to pull through. I think he is a true hero because he was brave, dedicated, giving, optimistic and so much more. His childhood hero was Doc Savage and he wanted so much to be like him. Although he wanted to be like Doc Savage he first became a loving and charitable movie star!

Patrick Swayze was a huge donator to charities. One of the best things about it was, he didn’t announce it publicly. He wasn’t one of those celebrities who donate to get attention, he actually cared. The charities that he donated to were The Red Cross, American Oceans Campaign, Tuesdays Child, Numerous Animal rescue Charities, Alonzo King's Lines Ballet, Doug Varone Dancers, and Dwight Rhoden Complexions. He really wanted to help.

When Patrick Swayze was filming the movie City of Joy he had to learn about the poverty in India. His director, Roland, took him to Mother Teresa’s Hospital, and then to a street clinic. He did whatever the nurse asked him to do, not shying away from anything. The most touching thing that he did was help save a little boy whose arm was wrapped in bandages that had grafted themselves to his skin. He said, “Yes, I was doing research for a movie- but this went way beyond that. It was impossible not to be touched by the incredibly deep need all around us.” He helped save the little boy and more people in need.

He made a surprise appearance on ABC, NBC, and CBS, Stand Up for Cancer answering phones and making speeches. After his appearance he went into the audience and talked to cancer survivors just like he used to do when spend hours talking and signing, and giving autographs to his fans after his major debut in the movie Dirty Dancing. He always took time to talk to people and fans. His fans had a really good reason to wait hours to see him, his bravery.

Patrick Swayze was brave. In all his movies he performed his own stunts, which was one of the many reasons I look up to him. After he severely injured his knee in one of his stunts he kept dancing. After he broke ribs in Road House, he endured and finished his scene. Another time he broke both legs and ruptured his shoulder, he kept riding horses. He even was willing to sky dive (which he did) for one of his movies. He was very brave to do all these things, but that’s not all of it. Despite making other people happy he was making himself happy. During the he last thing he filmed, the TV series The Beast, he refused to take medicine that numbed his cancer pain because he didn’t want to affect his performance.

I think Patrick Swayze was a great role model and most of all he completed one of his greatest childhood dreams, he grew up to be like Doc Savage - a brave, strong, kind, renaissance man. Patrick died with his family by his side. He died a fighter, someone who never gave up.

Sources;

Patrick Swayze and Lisa Neimi, The Time of My Life: New York, ATRIA books, 2009, 182-183,16

"Patrick Swayze." Biography Resource Center Online. Gale, 2009. Reproduced in Biography Resource Center. Farmington Hills, Mich.: Gale, 2009.

“Patrick Swazye.” Wikipedia.com. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. 5 October 2009. 7 October 2009 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Swayze

“Patrick Swayze Was 'Best Part' of Stand Up to Cancer.” People.com. CNN. 2009. 7 October 2009 http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20224018,00.html

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