Alex Trebek Opens Up About the Support from Fans Amid Cancer Diagnosis: 'It Makes Me Feel So Good'
Alex Trebek is feeling grateful for the support of his fans as he continues to battle pancreatic cancer.
The Jeopardy host, 79, shared in an interview with ABC News that since his diagnosis, “People all over America and abroad have decided they want to let me know now, while I’m alive, about the impact that I’ve been having on their existence.”
“They have come out and they have told me, and my gosh, it makes me feel so good,” Trebek added.
The love fans have for Trebek has been evident on the show.
Last month, contestant Dhruv Gaur used his opportunity to answer the clue to spread some love for the longtime game show host.
“Did you come up with the right one? No?” Trebek asked Gaur about his answer to the final clue.
“’What is ‘We love you Alex,’” Trebek read aloud. “That’s very kind, thank you.”
Trebek saw that Gaur gave up nearly all of his remaining $2,000 on the incorrect answer.
“Cost you $1,995. You’re left with five bucks,” Trebek said, seemingly holding back tears.
Gaur later addressed his decision on Twitter, explaining Trebek had just shared with the contestants he had reentered treatment.
“We were all hurting for him so badly,” Gaur wrote.
“When Final Jeopardy came up, I could’ve tried to puzzle it together, but really, just kept thinking about Alex, and thought he should know,” Gaur added.
“I’m just very grateful I got the opportunity to say what I know everyone was thinking. Sending all the love. #weloveyoualex.”
Also in November, another Jeopardy! contestant donated $10,000 to cancer research in honor of Trebek.
Avi Gupta, the 18-year-old Columbia University freshman who took home $100,000 on the show this summer, announced on Twitter that he would be giving a portion of his winnings to the Knight Cancer Institute.
“I was inspired to give by Alex Trebek, the host of Jeopardy! and someone who I have looked up to my whole life,” he said. “It was a dream come true earlier this year to finally join him on the Jeopardy! stage and the Jeopardy! teen tournament.”
Trebek revealed the news of his pancreatic cancer diagnosis to fans in a video message in March. After undergoing months of treatment, the TV host told fans in August that he had finished his treatment and was doing better.
But one month later, Trebek announced on Good Morning America that he was once again undergoing chemotherapy.
Despite his health, the game show’s longtime beloved host isn’t hanging up his hat anytime soon, despite still working to beat pancreatic cancer, which he was diagnosed with last March.
“He has no plans to quit, and is absolutely not announcing his retirement ,” said a coworker of Trebek, who had told CTV News in an October interview that he wasn’t sure exactly how much longer he could continue hosting the show, owing to the side effects from chemotherapy.
“We’ll play it by ear and keep chugging along until we either win or lose,” Trebek said at the time.
from PEOPLE.com https://people.com/health/alex-trebek-opens-up-about-support-from-fans-cancer-diagnosis/
Comments
Post a Comment