On November 8, 2020, late “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek tragically passed away after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer at 80 years old. Trebek was not only a game show host for a staggering total of 37 seasons, but he was also a “boots on the ground” humanitarian who worked tirelessly to improve underprivileged communities by traveling to these areas to provide hands-on support.
Former CEO of World Vision Canada, Dave Toycen, said Alex “really cared about children,” adding, “In the midst of his busy schedule he always made the time for those who were struggling with poverty. He was incredibly supportive, and always saw the mission above himself.”
Although Alex was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2019, he continued to host “Jeopardy!” for the next 18 months. His last day in the studio was October 29, and his final episode aired on December 25, 2020.
Now, those who knew him best are doing what they can to keep his memory alive.
Brad Rutter
I’m missing Alex Trebek a little extra today, on the one year anniversary of his passing to #pancreaticcancer. Join me in honoring him with a donation to @PanCAN, who provides free resources and support to patients and their families. 💜 https://t.co/nl73Z3znwQ pic.twitter.com/I7W1Djadr6
— Brad Rutter (@bradrutter) November 8, 2021
“Jeopardy!” champion Brad Rutter has the distinction of winning the most money on the trivia game show, accumulating a massive $4,938,436 dollars from regular gameplay and tournaments.
Rutter tweeted, “I’m missing Alex Trebek a little extra today, on the one year anniversary of his passing to #pancreaticcancer. Join me in honoring him with a donation to @PanCAN, who provides free resources and support to patients and their families. http://pancan.org”
He also retweeted PanCan’s post, which read, “One year ago today, the world lost a friend in ‘Jeopardy!’ host Alex Trebek when he passed away of #pancreaticcancer. Alex had a positive impact on the pancreatic cancer community that continues to be felt today.”
Buzzy Cohen
This is and will always be Alex’s stage. Humbled and honored to join the legacy today. pic.twitter.com/7hisPNqYQv
— Buzzy Cohen (@buzztronics) May 17, 2021
“Jeopardy!” Tournament of Champions winner and guest host Buzzy Cohen pinned a tweet to the top of his Twitter feed from May 17 that reads, “This is and will always be Alex’s stage. Humbled and honored to join the legacy today.”
The photo shows Cohen waiting to walk out onto the stage, which has since been renamed “The Alex Trebek Stage” in the late host’s honor.
Jean Trebek
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Alex’s wife, Jean Trebek, posted a clip of Alex promoting The Compassion Project.
“My beloved husband passed away one year ago…,” she wrote. “One of his final messages was that of the importance of having compassion for each other. In honor of Alex’s beautiful and powerful life, please take a moment to watch this short video.”
Alex’s daughter, Nicky Trebek, also honored her father by sharing a close-up photo of a burning candle on her Instagram page. “I see you in the subtle,” she wrote. “I miss you in the moments.” She closed the post with a prayer-hands and white heart emoji, along with 7/22/40 ~ 11/8/20.
Ken Jennings
One year after Alex Trebek’s passing, Ken Jennings reflects on what Alex meant to him and the special gift he received from Alex’s wife, Jean.
We miss you every day, Alex. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/6hQkM4e4OH
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) November 8, 2021
In a video posted by the official “Jeopardy!” Twitter account, “Jeopardy!” Greatest Of All Time tournament winner Ken Jennings said, “I miss Alex a lot. When I’m in here, I feel like he’s probably in the building somewhere. It’s hard not to talk about him in the present tense.”
“The first day I came in to guest host was just a few weeks after Alex had passed,” he continued. “It was a really rough time. I got to the studio and one of the producers handed me a little box and Alex’s wife Jean had given me a pair of his cuff links that he had worn on the show.”
“What a lovely gesture that was from Jean,” he added. “You know, at a time that was very hard for her family, dealing with a lot of grief and a lot of challenges, she thought about ‘Jeopardy!’ and she thought about me, a person she had never even met. And I thought, ‘What a lovely thing to do.’ She’s fantastic.”
He showed off the cuff links to the camera, saying, “I am wearing them today. My Alex Trebek cuff links are the only cuff links I own. They’re kind of a good luck charm for me here.”
Although Alex may be gone, the mark he left on “Jeopardy!” will never be forgotten.
