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Jeopardy! Host Alex Trebek, 80, Dies from Pancreatic Cancer

  • Kayla Koslosky

    Kayla Koslosky has been the Editor of ChristianHeadlines.com since 2018. She has B.A. degrees in English and History and previously wrote for and was the managing editor of the Yellow Jacket …

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  • Published Nov 09, 2020

Long-time Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek passed away on Sunday after a grueling battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 80.

On Sunday, the official Jeopardy! Twitter account broke the news of the gameshow host’s death tweeting, “Jeopardy! is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends. Thank you, Alex.”

As Christian Headlines previously reported, Trebek was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer in March of 2019. The aggressive cancer has an 18 percent survival rate, but Trebek was determined to fight it with chemotherapy and prayer.

In March 2020, Trebek shared an update on his fight against cancer thanking the millions of people around the world who were praying for him to beat the disease. At the time, Trebek had seen some improvement following cancer treatments.

“I'm very happy to report I have just reached that marker,” Trebek said. “Now, I'd be lying if I said the journey had been an easy one. There were some good days, but a lot of not-so-good days. I joked with friends that the cancer won't kill me; the chemo treatments will. There were moments of great pain, days when certain bodily functions no longer functioned, and sudden massive attacks of great depression that made me wonder if it really was worth fighting on."

“But I brushed that aside quickly because that would have been a massive betrayal – a betrayal of my wife and soulmate Jean who has given her all to help me survive,” he said. “It would have been a betrayal of other cancer patients who have looked to me as an inspiration and a cheerleader of sorts of the value of living and hope.

“And,” Trebek added, “it would certainly have been a betrayal of my faith in God and the millions of prayers that have been said on my behalf.”

Trebek hasn’t publicly discussed his faith at length, although he grew up Catholic and is an ambassador for Christian humanitarian aid organization, World Vision.

According to the Jeopardy! website, Trebek is a 7-time Daytime Emmy winner, a National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Guinness World Records holder for the most episodes of a game show hosted by the same presenter, a recipient of a Hollywood Walk of Fame star and a member of the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame. In 2011, Trebek also received the Peabody Award for “encouraging, celebrating and rewarding knowledge.” The late L.A. resident is also the author of the best-selling book, The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Lifein which he details his cancer journey.

Trebek is survived by his wife Jean and their two children, Emily and Matthew.

Related:

Alex Trebek Nearing Remission after Dismal Cancer Diagnosis, Credits Fans' Faith and Prayers

Alex Trebek Has Cancer Setback: 'I'm Nearing the End of My Life'

Alex Trebek Credits 'Faith in God,' Prayers for Beating 18 Percent Survival Rate

Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Ethan Miller/Staff


Kayla Koslosky has been the Editor of ChristianHeadlines.com since 2018. She has B.A. degrees in English and History and previously wrote for and was the managing editor of the Yellow Jacket newspaper. She has also contributed to IBelieve.com and Crosswalk.com.