This past weekend, we unfortunately learned of the passing of Alex Trebek, the longtime Jeopardy! host who became a staple of pop culture and a beloved presence in many people’s television routine. Trebek passed away at the age of 80 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The initial news was followed by an outpouring of tributes from fans and former show contestants. Now, we have a clearer picture of how Trebek spent his final day, and it’s pretty bittersweet, to say the least.
Mike Richards, an executive producer on Jeopardy!, recently opened up about Trebek and provided details on how the late host spent his final moments. According to Richards, Trebek rested in his backyard, enjoying the scenery in a swing that he actually built himself:
He had a swing in his backyard that he loved. He actually rebuilt it earlier this year. He was very handy. I don’t know if a lot of people know that. And 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.
During his appearance on Today, Richards also said that Alex Trebek was coherent and not in any pain during his final day. And despite the great feeling of loss they feel, this is something that brings comfort to the Jeopardy! family:
He was coherent. He wasn’t in pain, and the fact that he had a nice final day, I think makes all of us in the Jeopardy! family feel much better.
When it came to his battle with cancer, Alex Trebek was incredibly candid about his experiences. Trebek originally announced his stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis in early 2019, explaining that he was in the process of receiving treatment. The host remained proactive, though, and was actually back on set not too long after making his announcement.
Throughout his journey, Trebek experienced both breakthroughs and setbacks while undergoing chemotherapy. He even spoke about how the cancer treatment was affecting his hosting duties. But in the midst of everything, he still remained upbeat and excited to the do the job that many knew him best for. And what was most touching to see was the amount of support he received from fans, both off and on air.
It was incredibly moving to see just how much fans loved and appreciated Alex Trebek. He leaves an indelible mark on TV history, and watching Jeopardy! won’t be the same without him. We can, however, take comfort in the fact that he spent his last day peacefully and was fully aware of just how much he meant to the world.
We here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our thoughts to Alex Trebek’s loved ones at this time.
