'Jeopardy!' Champ Donates to Cancer Charity 'for Alex Trebek'

The "Jeopardy!" player who won nearly two and a half million dollars donated a chunk of his payout to a charity for pancreatic cancer — the type of cancer the show's host Alex Trebek is battling.

According to CNN, James Holzhauer sent a woman in Naperville, Illinois — Holzhauer's hometown — a check for $1,109.14 after she invited him to a pancreatic cancer research walk to help her raise money. Holzhauer said he could not attend the event, but he enclosed a note with the check that read, "For Alex Trebek and all the other survivors."

The obscure amount on the check represents the birthdate of Holzhauer's daughter, the cancer walk fundraiser Ann Zediker told CNN.

"There was no expectation on my end," Zediker told CNN. "I was just thrilled that he responded. I knew that Alex's story had an impact on him, just like it has an impact on anyone who's working with a family member who's going through pancreatic cancer."

Trebek revealed in March he has stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He has vowed to stay on as "Jeopardy!" host, saying he will be back for its 36th season in the fall.

Holzhauer won 32 straight games of "Jeopardy!" this year and earned $2,462,216.

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