Details We Know About Alex Trebek's Death

Less than two years after he announced he was fighting pancreatic cancer, Alex Trebek, beloved Jeopardy! host, has died (via Yahoo!). Trebek's death was confirmed by the Jeopardy! Twitter account on Sunday. The tweet said, "Jeopardy! is saddened to share that Alex Trebek passed away peacefully at home early this morning, surrounded by family and friends. Thank you, Alex."

Trebek's pancreatic cancer was already advanced when he first visited the doctor — when he was diagnosed, it was already at Stage IV (via SELF). His wife was the first person to notice that something was off. While the couple was on vacation, she thought his coloring was odd, and he admitted he was experiencing stomach pain when she asked about it. 

Trebek, 80, had been open about his journey from diagnosis to treatment, and just last month, he told the media that he was "hanging in" there while undergoing yet another round of chemotherapy (via Yahoo!).

Alex Trebek's family hasn't released many details regarding the popular host's final hours, but they did report that he passed away at home with his family and friends.

Trebek had hosted Jeopardy! since 1984, and was signed on to continue hosting it through 2022 (via TMZ). Viewers can watch Alex-hosted episodes through Christmas Day, as he was still in the studio, taping the show, through October 29. 

Pancreatic cancer can be hard to detect early and is often found in advanced stages (via American Cancer Society). Since Trebek was already in Stage IV when he was diagnosed, that mean it had spread beyond the pancreas to other part of the body, such as the liver, lungs, bones, or lining of the abdominal cavity (via American Cancer Society). 

Trebek was previously wed to Elaine Kares, and is survived by his wife, Jean Currivan, and his children, Matthew and Emily.