- Patrick Swayze faced several tragedies in his lifetime
- He sadly lost his sister Vicky Lynn Swayze in 1994
- The actor once spoke about his sister's death in an interview
Though Patrick Swayze passed away in 2009, interest in the actor lives on today. And that includes his family and personal life.
But unfortunately in the Swayze family, addiction and mental health troubles were all too common.
As fans may know, Patrick Swayze's sister Vicky Lynn had various struggles and sadly died at the age of only 45.
Patrick Swayze spoke about losing his sister years ago
The tragedy of Vicky Lynn's suicide in 1994 was a turning point for Patrick Swayze. He once spoke about the impact of losing his sister.
"Her death changed my life," Swayze told the Daily Mail in 2005. "It was hard not to feel responsible, that I could have done something to prevent it."
But Patrick Swayze, who was dealing with his own struggles at the time, said that the loss made him take a new perspective on life.
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Patrick Swayze's sister
Patrick Swayze's Sister In Memoriam: Vicky Lynn Swayze's Life
"I had to find something to believe in, outside of myself, to beat the guilt and blame I felt - particularly in Vicky's case," Swayze continued.
"The only thing you can do in those circumstances is to find some kind of meaning. You have to [...] honour the spirit of the person you have lost for as long as you live."
Patrick Swayze recovered after Vicky Lynn's death
The actor concluded: "I have made my life better so Vicky's death doesn't seem quite so pointless."
During this period, Patrick Swayze had stepped away from acting to treat his alcoholism, and he sought refuge in nature. He then made an acting comeback in the early 2000s.
Sadly, however, his health went downhill after a diagnosis with pancreatic cancer.
Patrick Swayze would pass in 2009 at just 57 years. We'll never forget him...
For more, see the video above.
