Patrick Swayze was a Hollywood actor who could do it all; he could dance, sing, and act.  He rose to fame during the 80s and even became an icon after appearing in the classic film Dirty Dancing, a movie which is still a pop culture phenomenon.  It was during this period that he made it to the list of the rich and famous, those who enjoy massive net worths and huge bank accounts.  Despite his fame, Swayze remained humble throughout his life, and he devoted his energy to pursuing his passions in life, including breeding horses and flying planes.  He did start indulging all these activities late in his life, as he followed other passions of his, like gymnastics and dancing, even enduring crippling back pains and other injuries.  Sadly, medical doctors diagnosed Swayze as having pancreatic cancer, which led his early demise.  Let us look back at the incredible life of this cultural icon of Hollywood…

The Birth of a Star

Patrick Swayze was born on a Saturday, the 18th of August in 1962. He was the second child of an engineering draftsman named Jesse Wayne Swayze and his wife, dance school owner Patsy Swayze (née Karnes). Patrick was born in Houston, Texas, and as he was growing up his parents never realized that their son would become a successful actor someday, with loads of fans and a huge bank account. The Patricks’ ancestors can be traced back all the way to England, to one John Swasey, who came to America during the great migration. One of his grandsons, Samuel, was the first of them to use the surname Swayze instead of Swasey.

Busy at School

Even as a child, Patrick Swayze’s life never had a dull moment. He grew up in the neighborhood of Oak Forest in Houston, and he attended several schools in the area including Waltrip High School, Black Middle School, Oak Forest Elementary School, and St. Rose of Lima Catholic School. The actor’s extra-curricular activities at school didn’t just involve dancing; but he was quite the sportsman; showing keen interest in swimming, gymnastics, and football. He was hoping to get a football scholarship for college but a knee injury hindered this dream.

A Great Influence

Patrick Swayze’s interest in dance has greatly been influenced by his mother, Patsy. She worked as a dance instructor and was founded the Houston Jazz Ballet Company, where she acted as the company’s director. Patsy also established her own dance studio, the Swayze School of Dance, where Patrick had his first dance lessons. Dance is something that could cause someone injuries that could need physical therapy to heal completely, but with professional guidance and proper training, like that given by Patsy to her son, the chances of injury reduce dramatically.

He Wanted to be a Gymnast

Apart from his dream of getting into college with a football scholarship, Patrick dreamt of competing in the US Olympics in the field of gymnastics. He even underwent training for the sport at San Jacinto College where he was studying. In fact, he was already training with an Olympic coach at the time. We have no idea why he ended up not going, but it could have had something to do with his old knee injury. Despite receiving physical therapy, his knee still prevented him from trying out for the Olympics.

Disney on Parade

Leaving Houston for New York, Patrick was intent on pursuing dancing as a career. His first professional dance performance happened because he joined the ‘Disney on Parade’ tour. The tour was went public with it’s first show on December 25, 1969, where it showcased some of the most famous Disney characters through song and dance performances. It was one of the jobs that helped Swayze save some money in his bank account.  Disney on Parade toured the entire country, and later on branched out to go global.