Patrick Swayze’s widow reveals actor’s first subtle symptoms of cancer

“I lay back at Buddy’s side, I held his hand and felt his pulse again… And then he didn’t breathe any more.”

Since then Niemi Swayze has continued the fight to bring awareness to the rare, but deadly disease.

She has worked with Pancreatic Cancer Action Network since 2010 as well as advocated on Capitol Hill for more funding for research.

”Just because Patrick passed on … didn’t mean that fight was over, and I was carrying that on for him,” she said.