Patrick Swayze 'predicted' his death

Dirty Dancing star knew he would die from pancreatic cancer following diagnosis

Marie Claire celebrity news: Patrick Swayze
Marie Claire celebrity news: Patrick Swayze
(Image credit: Rex Features)

Dirty Dancing star knew he would die from pancreatic cancer following diagnosis

Patrick Swayze predicted his own death from pancreatic cancer as soon as he was diagnosed with the disease.

'When my doctors said the words 'pancreatic cancer', a single thought popped into my head: I'm a dead man,' says the actor.

Patrick, 57, died following a lengthy battle with the disease earlier this month.

The iconic Hollywood star wrote about his diagnosis in his forthcoming autobiography Time of My Life.

'A lot of things go through your head when you get a death sentence handed to you, starting with: 'Why me?' It's hard not to sink into bitterness,' he wrote.

'For me, that initial shock quickly turned into self-criticism and blame.'

Patrick was admitted to rehab for alcohol addiction in the mid-90s and was reportedly a cocaine addict at one point.

A private memorial service will be held for the Dirty Dancing star this Sunday in at Sony Studios in California.

His family have asked for donations to cancer charities instead of flowers.

Patrick says his mental battle with his cancer was almost as hard as the physical challenge.

He writes, 'I was not ready to go and I'd be dammed if this disease was going to take me before I was good and ready.'

He will best be remembered by fans as dance instructor Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing, but Patrick himself seemed determined to keep proving himself, right up until his death.

'Whenever someone asks me what my legacy is, I say the same thing. I'm not finished yet.'

SEE OUR GALLERY OF PATRICK'S GREATEST MOMENTS HERE

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