Celebrity / Lisa Niemi Swayze Widow: I'll See Him Again Lisa Niemi, Elizabeth Smart, Maria Shriver take part in Women's Conference By Evann Gastaldo, Newser Staff Posted Oct 28, 2009 8:00 AM CDT Copied Elizabeth Edwards, Lisa Niemi, Maria Shriver, and Susan Saint James are seen on stage after speaking at the Women's Conference on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009, in Long Beach, Calif. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon) Just six weeks after losing her husband, Lisa Niemi spoke publicly for the first time about Patrick Swayze's death at yesterday's Women's Conference in California. "I am so grateful for what I had and my connection to him, and part of me believes that I will see him again," she said, "and I'm just going to have to go on until then." Niemi will also sit down with Oprah Winfrey on Friday. More from the conference: Maria Shriver joined Niemi, describing the "tsunami of grief" she experienced after losing her mother and uncle this year. "My mother's death has brought me to my knees," she said. Kelly Preston was slated to be a part of the roundtable discussion about grief, but pulled out because it is still too painful to discuss son Jett's death. Elizabeth Edwards and Susan St. James, both of whom have lost children, participated in the panel. Elizabeth Smart participated in a program called "Overcoming the Unimaginable," telling the audience she is "doing great" and heading to Paris to serve as a missionary. Kate Gosselin also appeared at the event, albeit briefly, to sign books for fans. (More Lisa Niemi stories.) Report an error