Alex Trebek Fulfilled His Dying Wish On The Final Day Of His Life

Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AFI

Alex Trebek is no longer burdened by the wickedness of one of the most unforgiving cancers in existence, passing on this weekend in the presence of his longtime wife one year after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

In the wake of his diagnosis, Trebek admitted to surges of “deep, deep sadness” coupled with violent pain from the cancer that at times left him curled up in the fetal position in his dressing room in the middle of Jeopardy! tapings.

The accumulation of that immense pain and anguish resulted in a peaceful passing and the fulfillment of the cultural icon’s last wish.

Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards told the “Today Show:

“Even in his book, he described that he wanted his final day to be sitting on his swing next to his wife, Jean, and kind of watching the horizon and he got to do that.”

“He was coherent, he wasn’t in pain and the fact that he had a nice, final day makes all of us in the ‘Jeopardy!’ family feel much better.”

Trebek passed Sunday morning at the age of 80 surrounded by his wife of 30 years, Jean Currivan, their two children, Emily and Matthew, and some close friends.

“He was incredibly hard-working. He cared about the show. He cared about the importance of the show that it helped people want to be smarter. He made that cool — he made wanting to be smart cool,” Richards said.

“The greatest thing about him was how much he loved his family. Of all the things he did and all the things he accomplished, the greatest thing to him was his family and his love of his life.”

Alex Trebek: “Don’t tell me what you believe in. I’ll observe how you behave and I’ll make my own determination.”

Talk about a guy who lived it.

[h/t Page Six]