Swayze Family Feud Explodes

The September 9, 2019, issue of the Globe tabloid features an article titled "New Patrick Swayze Family Feud Explodes".

Globe cover, September 9, 2019

The article's left side

The article's right side

Basically, the article says that members of the Swayze family were outraged by some remarks made by his widow Lisa Niemi that were included in the new documentary I Am Patrick Swayze. She said that Patrick Swayze's mother was occasionally violent toward him. In particular, Lisa recounted an incident when Patrick's mother was attacking him in the basement and his father came down and threatened to divorce her unless she stopped.

After the documentary was broadcast, Patrick's brother Don Swayze wrote on social media:

Lisa Niemi is a liar!!!!
This is just beyond hurtful. My poor mother is not alive to defend herself.

Globe reports further:

It [Niemi's remark] has reignited allegations that she faked Patrick's will, which left his family members without a dime!

"Nobody got anything," one member tells Globe. "the family is so upset about Lisa's despicable comments, they're thinking about going to court to challenge the will.

According to Globe, at least two people have claimed that Patrick Swayze's signature was forged on the will that was accomplished on July 27, 2009. (He died on September 14, 2009.)

One of the two persons who claims the signature was forged is handwriting expert Peggy Walla.

The other person is described in the Globe article as "a close pal" who told Globe that on that day Swayze was in a hospital and "too weak to sign it".

=====

The "close pal" reminds me of the source of another article -- published in another tabloid, Closer -- that I summarized in a previous blog article titled Patrick Swayze: I was born to be a dad". The Closer article identified its own source as Frank Whiteley, "Patrick Swayze's longtime bodyguard and friend".

I am merely speculating that Whiteley is the source likewise for the Globe article. I have no evidence at all.

The Closer edition that used Frank Whiteley as a source

The Closer article focuses on Whiteley's statements that his friend Patrick Swayze had strongly desired to be a father.

I speculate as follows. If indeed ...

* Whiteley is the source for both articles

* Some Swayze  members want to contest the will

* Jason Whittle is Patrick Swayze's biological son

... then Whittle's existence might provide the disinherited Swayze relatives new grounds to contest the ten-year-old will. The argument might be that since Patrick wanted so much to be a father, he surely would want to leave some of his wealth to his belatedly identified illegitimate son. Therefore, the will should be revised.

Another argument for revising the will is the allegation that Lisa physically beat cancer-weakened Patrick into agreeing to the will. That allegation resonates -- perhaps relevantly somehow -- with Lisa's allegation in the documentary that Patrick's mother beat him into complying with demands.

The Globe tabloid -- the original and only reporter about the Swayze-Whittle relationship -- might be developing a new story along those lines. We will see.