Sean Swayze, the younger brother of late Hollywood star Patrick Swayze, has died at 63.
His death adds another painful chapter to a family history that has long been shaped by tragedy and loss.
The news was confirmed by his son, Jesse Swayze, who told TMZ that Sean died in Los Angeles on December 15. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office listed the cause of death as “an acute upper gastrointestinal bleed and severe metabolic acidosis brought on by cirrhosis of the liver.”

Sean is survived by his daughter Cassie and his sons Kyle and Jesse.

Loved ones pay tribute

In the days following his passing, relatives shared heartfelt messages remembering Sean’s personality and spirit.
His cousin, Rachel Leon, posted a tribute on Instagram, sharing a photo of Sean wearing a Dirty Dancing-themed shirt.

“I’m heartbroken to share that my cousin Sean Swayze passed away today,” she wrote.

Instagram/Rachel M Leon
“This is a picture he took recently for us to promote the Dirty Dancing crawfish theme. He was always fun and full of life.”

Although he never reached the same level of fame as Patrick, Sean worked in the industry as a character actor and film crew member, appearing in projects such as Letters from a Killer.

A family marked by loss
Sean’s death comes more than 16 years after Patrick Swayze died in September 2009 at the age of 57. The Dirty Dancing actor had been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in January 2008 and spoke publicly about his illness, including in a televised interview with Barbara Walters not long before his death.

At the time, Patrick was married to writer and dancer Lisa Niemi, and he remained widely beloved for his roles in Dirty Dancing, Ghost, and Road House.

The Swayze family has faced repeated heartbreak over the years. Sean and Patrick are survived by their brother, actor Don Swayze, now 67, and their sister, actress Bambi Swayze, 66.

The American actor, singer and dancer Patrick Swayze poses for some portrait shots with his wife Lisa Niemi, circa 1980s. (Photo by Helmut Reiss/United Archives via Getty Images)
Their father, Jesse Wayne Swayze, died in November 1982 at 57. Their mother, Patsy Yvonne Helen Swayze, died in September 2013 at 86. Another sibling, Vicky Swayze, died by suicide in 1994 at the age of 45.

Though he largely lived outside the spotlight, Sean Swayze remained closely connected to his family and to the legacy left by his brother Patrick. His passing brings a somber new loss to a family story defined by talent, endurance, and grief.