#WeLoveYouAlex
Topic: News
Farewell, Alex Trebek
Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek Dies of Pancreatic Cancer
Like fans around the world, we were saddened to learn of the death today of Alex Trebek, 80, from pancreatic cancer. By openly sharing his cancer battle, Alex became a powerful voice in raising awareness of pancreatic cancer and providing hope for people affected by pancreatic cancer around the world. Our thoughts are with has family, friends and millions of fans who welcomed the long-time Jeopardy! host into their homes for 35 years. His final Jeopardy! is scheduled to air on Christmas Day.
Last November, approximately six months after first publicly sharing his diagnosis, Alex filmed a public service announcement (PSA) for the World Pancreatic Cancer Day. November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, which coincided with the 2019 Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions.
Throughout the two-week tournament, Alex and players wore purple ribbons to honor Alex’s cancer battle and to memorialize Tournament of Champions qualifier and Teachers Tournament winner Larry Martin, who died of pancreatic cancer earlier in the year. But it was College Champ Dhruv Guar, who’s heartfelt Final Jeopardy! answer “We love you, Alex.” caused the beloved Jeopardy! host to choke up. The moment went viral and #WeLoveYouAlex became a viral fundraiser for the Foundation, bringing in more than $100,000. We caught up with Dhruv again back in July, when Alex’s memoir “The Answer Is…Reflections on My Life,” was released.
Each year, more than 45,000 Americans and 5,300 Canadians die of pancreatic cancer, including Alex Trebek, SCOTUS Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Rep. John Lewis. World Pancreatic Cancer Day is Thursday, Nov. 19. We invite you to honor Alex, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, John Lewis and all of the other women and men we have lost to pancreatic cancer by wearing purple, sharing your story and telling us what this year’s theme: #ItsAboutTime means to you.
We invite you to honor Alex, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, John Lewis and all of the other women and men we have lost to pancreatic cancer by wearing purple, sharing your story and telling us what this year’s theme: #ItsAboutTime means to you, or donating in memory of Trebek.