Happy 55th Birthday To Mainer Patrick Dempsey!

We hope you have a McDreamy birthday, Patrick!

One of the more famous Maine natives is celebrating his 55th birthday today. Patrick Dempsey was born in Lewiston, and grew up in the nearby towns of Turner and Buckfield. He of course is best known for his role as neurosurgeon Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd in Grey's Anatomy, but I wil always love him as Ronald Miller in "Can't Buy Me Love", one of my favorite 80's movies. I actually remember living in Augusta when it came out, and walking to the theatre in town to see it the day it came out!

He has been in quite a few hit films over the years, including "Outbreak", "Scream 3", "Sweet Home Alabama", "Made of Honor", "Valentine's Day", "Transformers: Dark of the Moon", and "Bridget Jones's Baby" just to name a few.

He is also known to Maine residents for his charitable contributions. In 1997, Dempsey's mother, Amanda, was diagnosed with cancer, and when she passed in 2014, he helped start the Patrick Dempsey Center at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. In 2009, when Dempsey introduced the first Dempsey Challenge, that features cyclists, runners and walkers. It has become an annual October event in the Lewiston area, raising millions of dollars over the years.

He has been very gracious with the media here in Maine too (although we have yet to get him on The Z Morning Show!) He has appeared on our buddy Dan Cashman's "Nite Show", and has sat down for interviews with News Center, and many others to talk about his acting, his love of auto racing and the Dempsey Foundation.