George Alexander Trebek, known simply as Alex Trebek, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 8 as a result of pancreatic cancer. He first announced his diagnosis on Mar. 6, 2019 and was only given an 18% chance by doctors to live with this disease for as long as he did. 

Trebek was most famous for his 36 years of hosting “Jeopardy!” from 1984 to 2020. During his career, he received six Emmy’s for outstanding game show host and a lifetime achievement award as well. “Jeopardy!” has enjoyed 35 Emmy awards, which is more than any other game show. 

During his career, Trebek was praised for his consistency and unbiased hosting of the show. Trebek said, “You have to set your ego aside. If you want to be a good host, you have to figure out a way to get the contestants to ‘be all you can be.’”

Trebek was born July 22, 1940 in Ontario, Canada. He enrolled at the University of Ottawa and would later find a job working for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He hosted several game shows prior to “Jeopardy!”, including “Double Dare” and “The $128,000 Dollar Question.” 

Trebek’s breakthrough came after substituting as a host on “Wheel of Fortune” and impressing “Jeopardy!” creator Merv Griffin, enough so for him to give Trebek the chance to host the show. 

“Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak wrote “The death of Alex Trebek is a tremendous loss for his family, his friends, his co-workers and the millions of viewers who followed his long and illustrious career. It was an honor for me to be a part of his professional family for nearly 40 years. His strength and courage and grace during his recent health struggles inspired countless others. Alex was truly one of a kind.”

Former “Jeopardy!” contestant James Holzhauer tweeted “It was one of the great privileges of my life to spend time with this courageous man while he fought the battle of his life. You will never be replaced in our hearts, Alex.”

Alex Trebek has long been a sturdy figure in the lives of many Americans and his loss will linger in the hearts of many for the following weeks in months.