Monday marked the first of three semifinals in this year's Tournament of Champions on "Jeopardy!" which saw Chicago's Emma Boettcher become the first to qualify for the tournament's final later this week.
But moments before Boettcher punched her ticket to the finals, setting up a potential rematch against James Holzhauer, there was a moment that touched host Alex Trebek, 79, and many Jeopardy fans.
In Final Jeopardy, Dhruv Gaur, who was in a distant third place entering Final Jeopardy, responded "What is We <3 you Alex!"
The Final Jeopardy answer was, "In the title of a groundbreaking 1890 exposé of poverty in New York City slums, these 3 words follow 'How the.'" The correct response was, "What is 'other half lives?'"
Gaur's response clearly choked up Trebek during Final Jeopardy. "That is very kind of you," Trebek said to Gaur's answer.
👏👏👏
Couldn't have said it better ourselves, Dhruv! #WeLoveYouAlex pic.twitter.com/JPpXjF2ifZ
— Jeopardy! (@Jeopardy) November 12, 2019
This is so touching. pic.twitter.com/6KQ7MBNzDc
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) November 12, 2019
After Monday's episode of Jeopardy aired, thousands tweeted their love for Trebek with the hashtag #WeLoveYouAlex.
Trebek is battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer, but has continued filming new episodes of Jeopardy despite several rounds of chemotherapy.
Trebek announced in March that he plans on beating the cancer, but in recent weeks, said that the cancer has taken a toll on him, and he is unsure how much longer he can continue to host Jeopardy.
Trebek has been the host of Jeopardy since 1984.
