Patrick Swayze’s Widow Speaks About Her Loss at Conference

Lisa Niemi, the widow of Patrick Swayze, spoke about dealing with the loss of her husband at California First Lady Maria Shriver's Women's Conference on Tuesday.

Niemi joined Elizabeth Edwards and Susan Saint James on a panel moderated by Shriver called "Grief, Healing & Resilience." Elizabeth Edwards lost her son, Wade when he was 16, while Saint James' son Teddy passed away at age 14. Shriver's mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, and her uncle, Ted Kennedy, both passed away in recent months.

Niemi said about the grieving process, "I never knew what to say to people who lost somebody and, boy, I have a good idea about it now." She explained that having girlfriends who she can call at any time of the day or night has helped her deal with losing her husband of 34 years: "Sometimes just the act of reaching out helps to ground and connect you back to life and love and other people."