By Samantha Uebel, Staff Writer
Alex Trebek, famous tv show quiz host of “Jeopardy!” passed away at the age of 80.
Trebek passed away in his Los Angeles home on Nov. 8, surrounded by family after battling pancreatic cancer since March 2019. The one year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is only 18 percent.
Despite this diagnosis, Trebek continued to host the show up until Oct. 29. Throughout his career, he has hosted more than 8,200 episodes of “Jeopardy!”
“He was iconic,” senior education major Olivia Ali said. “Jeopardy was a staple in my grandmother’s home, we watched Jeopardy together every time I would sleep over her house.”
The game show host also battled depression as his cancer worsened. Back in Sept., Trebek had said in a video posted to the Jeopardy twitter account “[there were] some good days but a lot of not so good days.”
Senior journalism major James Bonner said the passing of Alex Trebek was sad. “When you’ve grown up with someone in your culture, it’s strange to lose them,” Bonner said. “He was a cultural mainstay, it’s sad he had to suffer in the end.”
Celebrities have turned to Twitter to express their condolences to Trebek’s family and remember the amazing man and actor he was.
John Legend tweeted “I was obsessed with Jeopardy as a nerdy kid growing up in Ohio. I’ve loved and revered Alex Trebek since I can remember. What an iconic career. RIP Alex Trebek.”
Brian Selter from CNN reported “Jeopardy!” is “not announcing plans for a new host at this time.” But some fans of the show would like to see Ken Jennings continue on in Trebek’s place. Jennings, a computer programmer, scored 74 straight victories in 2004, creating a record that has yet to be beaten.
Jennings himself mourned Trebek on Twitter saying “Alex wasn’t just the best ever at what he did. He was also a lovely and deeply decent man, and I’m grateful for every minute I got to spend with him.”
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