Alex Trebek, the well-loved host of gameshow “Jeopardy!” was choked with emotion Monday after a contestant made a simple gesture of kindness at the end of the show.
Contestant Dhruv Gaur, a Brown University student, found himself stumped during the final question. So, instead of hazarding a guess at the answer, he simply wrote: “We love you, Alex.”
“That’s very kind, thank you,” Trebek responded, his voice cracking with emotion.
The message of support may have cost Gaur $1,995, but in light of Trebek’s health struggles, that didn’t seem to matter.
Since revealing his pancreatic cancer diagnosis earlier this year, Alex has been on the receiving end of numerous kind and honoring gestures from Jeopardy contestants.
Just last week, Columbia University freshman Avi Gupt and competition winner wrote a check for over $10,000 to the Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute in honor of Trebek’s battle.
“This is in honor of ‘Jeopardy’ host Alex Trebek, a man who’s been a role model for me my whole life,” he told KGW. “Everyone knows someone or has been affected by cancer in some way. I believe scientists are winning the fight against cancer, we just need to help them to do more.”
Straight after Monday night’s episode had wrapped up, #WeLoveYouAlex began trending on Twitter.
“I’ve lived a full life, a good life, and I’m nearing the end of that life. I know that,” Trebek said last month. “I’m not gonna delude myself. If it happens, it happens. Why should I be afraid of that?”
Do continue to pray for Trebek as he battles on.