Alex Trebek, the beloved host of Jeopardy!, became emotional during the Final Jeopardy round on Monday night after contestant Dhruv Gaur honored him with a heartfelt message. Trebek, who is battling stage IV pancreatic cancer, was deeply moved when Gaur, a contestant in the Tournament of Champions, chose to convey his love and support through his final answer.
Instead of the usual response to the question, Gaur wrote: “We love you, Alex!” in a gesture of affection for the host, who had recently shared that he was reentering chemotherapy. By doing so, Gaur bet $1,995 of his $2,000 on the answer, forfeiting his chance at winning in order to express his admiration for Trebek. Upon seeing the message, Trebek was visibly touched and choked up, saying, “Oh, that’s very kind of you. Thank you. (That) cost you $1,995, you’re left with $5.”
Gaur, a student at Brown University, later took to Twitter to express that he had no regrets, explaining that he was simply voicing what everyone else in the tournament was feeling. “For context, Alex had just shared with us that he was reentering treatment for pancreatic cancer. 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. I’m just very grateful I got the opportunity to say what I know everyone was thinking. Sending all the love. #weloveyoualex.”
This emotional moment follows another heartwarming act of generosity from a Jeopardy! contestant. Ari Gupta, an 18-year-old winner of the 2019 Teen Tournament, recently donated $10,000 of his $100,000 winnings to the Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute in honor of Trebek. Gupta, from Portland, Oregon, made the donation to support cancer research, a cause close to Trebek’s heart as he continues his battle against the disease.
Trebek, who has hosted Jeopardy! for 35 years, has not missed a day of taping since his diagnosis in March 2019, despite undergoing chemotherapy. He recently shared that after a brief period of optimism following a break from treatment, his cancer progressed, leading doctors to recommence chemotherapy. In an interview, Trebek spoke candidly about his experience, acknowledging the emotional toll the illness has taken on him. “There are moments when, for no reason at all, I feel this surge of sadness, depression,” he said. “It doesn’t last for very long, but it takes over your whole being for a period of time.”
Though Trebek expressed concerns about the impact of his passing on his loved ones, he also reflected on his life with a sense of peace. “I’m 79 years old. I’ve had one hell of a good life,” he said, showing the strength and resilience that has endeared him to millions of fans around the world.
