Patrick Swaze passed away last night and I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the extraordinary human being he was.

Fourteen years ago, I was working in the film industry as a freelancer, and was an assistant to the Craft Service manager on To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar.

In case you’re not familiar with the film, it was starring Patrick, John Leguizamo, and Wesley Snipes, all playing drag queens.  Interacting with these three gorgeous, straight men on a daily basis, while dressed in drag, was quite a happening – trust me!

Patrick was always incredibly gracious.  He made it a point to come over and speak with me and my manager every morning, and e had some really terrific conversations.   I don’t think I’ll ever forget the impact those talks had on me.  I distinctly remember taking mental note of how he and John interacted with the crew, and the importance they placed and being related to us.

Patrick’s willingness to be open and allow us to get to know him, set the tone for the entire shoot for the day.   He was clear how important it was for him do so, and didn’t interact with people any differently throughout his career.

Too Wong Foo was a tough shoot, with many days spent in 9o-degree and higher weather, and many days crossing the 24-hour work day for us.  Patrick’s regular interactions truly made a world of difference to me and the entire crew., and the impact of them has endured over the years.  I bring much of what I learned during the filming of Too Wong Foo  to my business today, and strongly encourage my clients to do the same.

Many thanks to Patrick for being the person you were and blessings to the Swayze family.  I feel privileged to have been one of the people who benefited from Patrick’s kindness.

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