SonyRecent big-time Jeopardy! champion and millionaire James Holzhauer is giving back, in honor of ailing host Alex Trebek.
After winning a total of $2,462,216 during 32 consecutive games on the syndicated game show earlier this month, the 34-year-old professional sports bettor made a donation to support the 2019 Naperville Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk in Naperville, Illinois, which raises money for pancreatic cancer research, ABC7 Chicago reported. Trebek, 78, revealed in March he had been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
The charity event's fundraising page shows that Holzhauer donated $1,109.14 "for Alex Trebek and all the other survivors."
The sum equals the birthday of Holzhauer's 4-year-old daughter, Natasha. On Jeopardy!, Trebek had thanked Holzhauer for a get well card his daughter had made for him.
"Former Jeopardy! champion and Naperville native James Holzhauer made a generous donation to the Naperville Walk, raising disease awareness and additional research funding. James recently enjoyed an incredible 32-game winning streak on Jeopardy! and made this donation in honor of Alex Trebek's fight against pancreatic cancer. Thank you also to our walk leader Ann Zediker for reaching out to James and securing his support for the Naperville Walk!" read a message on the charity event's website.
As of Thursday morning, about $32,500 was raised out of a goal of $90,000.
The 5-year survival rate of stage 4 pancreatic cancer is about 3 percent, give or take, depending on patients' responses to and eligibility for medical treatment. In May, Trebek told People he was in "near remission," with some of his tumors shrinking to less than half their size.