Whoopi Goldberg: Patrick Swayze ‘Never Thought Of Himself As Someone Who Was Dying’

The passing of Patrick Swayze on Monday was deeply felt by Hollywood, especially his “Ghost” co-star and friend, Whoopi Goldberg.

“This was a well fought battle,” an emotional Whoopi said of the late actor on Tuesday’s “The View.” “Patrick fought like the dickens to survive it or to get through it. He never thought of himself as someone who was dying. His attitude was, ‘Until it kills me, I’m gonna keep doing what I’m doing.’”

Whoopi explained that when her time comes, she hopes to handle death the way Patrick did.

“I hope whenever it comes for me… that I do the same,” she said.“He worked up until the last minute. He was a cat that never gave up. I would like to have that bravery.”

Whoopi credits Patrick with her 1990 Oscar win for “Ghost.”

“Because of Patrick Swayze, I got that movie,” she told her “View” co-hosts. “Because of Patrick Swayze, I have an Oscar.”

Whoopi ended her tribute with nod to Patrick’s wife, Lisa Niemi.

“To you Lisa, to that relationship,” she said, pausing to fight back her tears.

“Let’s hope that ‘Ghost’ was right,” she added, referencing the classic line from the movie where the actor told co-star Demi Moore, “It’s amazing, Molly. The love inside, you take it with you.”

Patrick was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in January 2008 and underwent chemotherapy, while continuing to work a grueling acting schedule, playing FBI agent Charles Barker in the A&E drama “The Beast”

Swayze was 57.