'Jeopardy!' Contestant Dhruv Gaur Surprises Alex Trebek With Supportive Message
On Monday’s episode of “Jeopardy!” one contestant had Alex Trebek holding back tears thanks to a sweet message of support he sent to the long-time show host, who is going through treatment for stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
Going into the “Final Jeopardy!” round of the game during the “Tournament of Champions” episode, contestant Dhruv Gaur trailed behind his two competitors. Instead of answering the final question, however, Gaur decided to send Trebek a note, writing, “We love you, Alex!”
After Gaur’s answer was revealed, Trebek thanked him for the sweet message before getting emotional and then moving on to check in with the other contestants.
“That’s very kind of you. Thank you,” Trebek responded. “Cost you $1,995. You’re left with five bucks.”
Today’s Final Jeopardy! includes a heartfelt moment with Alex and another win for Emma! #TournamentOfChampions pic.twitter.com/qWnKFUKL2U
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) November 12, 2019
Though Gaur didn’t win the game, he earned the hearts of millions of viewers who have tuned in to watch the iconic game show host for more than three decades. In March, Trebek announced he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer and has since shared his journey through cancer treatment, including chemotherapy, and how it has impacted his mental health.
“I go in [for chemo] and I sit down; I joke with the nurses. And I’m there for an hour and a half while they inject all of this stuff into me and then I go home and I have a good day, and then the next day, for no reason that I can fathom, it turns south on me,” Trebek said during an interview with “Good Morning America” in May. “But that’s OK. You have to deal with it. What am I going to do? It is something that I’m afflicted with; we are dealing with it chemically and spiritually and those are positives.”
Though he previously announced he was in near-remission, shortly after he began filming “Jeopardy!” season 36 in September, he said his “numbers went sky high” and needed another round of chemotherapy. Trebek has said there may be a time in the near future when he won’t be up to hosting the game show.
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Couldn’t have said it better ourselves, Dhruv! #WeLoveYouAlex pic.twitter.com/JPpXjF2ifZ— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) November 12, 2019
According to Gaur, the episode of “Jeopardy!” he appeared on was filmed right after Trebek told them he would need another round of treatment.
“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 tweeted. “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.”
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. 3/n
— dhruv (@dhruvg_) November 12, 2019
The episode sparked the hashtag #WeLoveYouAlex on social media, while Gaur said he was glad to share his support on a national stage.
“I’m just very grateful I got the opportunity to say what I know everyone was thinking,” Gaur said. “Sending all the love.”
I’m just very grateful I got the opportunity to say what I know everyone was thinking. Sending all the love. #weloveyoualex
— Dhruv Gaur (@dhruvg_) November 12, 2019
Header image via “Jeopardy” Twitter page
Renée Fabian was the features editor at The Mighty. She has also written for The Washington Post, VICE, Healthline, Talkspace, The Fix, The Establishment, The Culture Trip, and GRAMMY.com, among others. Renée was named a 2019 AHCJ Comparative Effectiveness Research fellow, a 2020 USC Center for Health Journalism California fellow, and holds a master's degree in journalism from the University of Southern California and a master's degree in psychology from Antioch University Los Angeles. You can follow her on Twitter @ryfabian.
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