Patrick Swayze Dies at 57

Actor Patrick Swayze, whose turn as a smoldering dance instructor in "Dirty Dancing" made him one of the iconic film stars of the 1980s, died on Monday after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 57.

Swayze had been a 60-a-day smoker for years, and research shows that smokers are twice as likely to get pancreatic cancer as non-smokers. Swayze acknowledged the likely connection between the habit and his condition. "I will go so far as to say probably smoking had something to do with my pancreatic cancer," he said.

Even after he was diagnosed with the disease he still could not rid himself of his smoking habit. He did cut down significantly but was unable to quit. I'm not trying to be judgmental if he wanted to smoke in his final days that's his choice and I am ok with it. It's just too bad cigarette smoking has taken another gifted life at such an early age.