Alex Trebek Dies At 80

Before passing away at home, Alex Trebek spent his final hours doing what he loved; spending time with his wife.

Source: Eric McCandless / Getty

As previously reported the game show host died after a battle with stage four pancreatic cancer and the news was confirmed by Jeopardy’s official Twitter account.

“Jeopardy! is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends. Thank you, Alex.”

https://twitter.com/Jeopardy/status/1325490106329751553/photo/1

Apparently, while his passing is indeed sad, Alex was at peace and spent his final day on Earth by his wife’s side.

Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards shared on Today that the 80-year-old’s last day before his death was a happy one, one where he wasn’t in pain and got to sit beside his wife on a backyard swing. The swing was something the handy host built by hand himself, and something he enjoyed.

“Even in his book, he described that he wanted his final day to be sitting on his swing next to his wife, Jean, and kind of watching the horizon and he got to do that,” said Richards about Trebek. “He was coherent, he wasn’t in pain and the fact that he had a nice, final day makes all of us in the ‘Jeopardy!’ family feel much better.”

Beautiful.

The Executive Producer also shared that Alex “made being smart cool” and confirmed that despite suffering from cancer, Alex taped FIVE SHOWS A DAY until the pandemic closed production on Jeopardy!. On what turned out to be Alex’s last day of taping, Richards recalled a heartfelt exchange that they had;

“I knew he was in an enormous amount of pain, and as he was leaving, I saw him at the door and I said, ‘You know, that was maybe the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen,’” Richards said.

“He kind of had his head down and he looked up and said, ‘Well, thank you.’ And that, you knew, when he accepted that, that he was really fighting and it was just so important for him to do this show and to support everything that it means to America.”

We’ll take, we’ll miss you for 1,000 Alex.

Alex Trebek is survived by his wife Jean, 56, and three adult children, Matthew, Emily, and Nicky. R.I.H.