Cancer Claims Patrick Swayze

This just in from E! Online:

Patrick Swayze, the movie star whose iconic roles in Dirty Dancing and Ghost transcended, and the man whose perseverance in the face of advanced cancer inspired, died today in Los Angeles. He was 57.

"One thing I'm not gonna do is chase staying alive," Swayze told Barbara Walters in January. "You spend so much time chasing staying alive, you won't live."

At the time, Swayze guessed he had two more years to live.

Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in early 2008. Despite the gloom and doom of initial tabloid reports, Swayze went on to star in the A&E cop drama The Beast.

I saw the movie "Ghost" on my first and only date with someone whose name I can't remember. As we left the theater, I remember thinking "this movie makes me want to go out and fall in love." Looking over at my date, I thought, " ...but not with you."

RIP Patrick.