Alex Trebek's Wife Writes Inspiring Blog Post About "Finding Peace Within"

Photo credit: Michael Kovac
Photo credit: Michael Kovac

From Prevention

In early March, Alex Trebek shared with Jeopardy! viewers that he had been diagnosed with stage-4 pancreatic cancer. As hard as it was for Jeopardy! fans to hear the news, it was undoubtedly tougher on his wife of 29 years, Jean, and the couple's children, Emily and Matthew.

But while Alex continues to deal with his cancer, Jean wrote in a recent Inside Wink blog post entitled "Inner Peace" about remaining positive. Jean, the founder of Inside Wink (an online magazine), did not explicitly mention her husband in the article, she explained how she's come to find her own inner peace over the years.

"I, too, strongly believe that the bridge to a peaceful co-existence lies in our ability to respectfully communicate our feelings," she wrote. "What’s helped me the most in becoming truly peaceful within, is allowing myself to have my feelings without judgment."

Photo credit: Michael Kovac
Photo credit: Michael Kovac

Being aware of her emotions, she goes on to write, has helped her live in the moment and maintain a sense of calmness.

"When something happens, I can now experience it and realize that it is bringing up an old habitual thought or feeling that upsets me. I pause and, in that moment, take the first steps to healing and releasing that old thought. I really question the thought that I am believing. When I take the time to do this it brings me back to a state of peace.”

In an interview with People from May, Alex shared that some of his tumors had shrunk by 50%, a truly remarkable update given that this type of cancer has about a 9% five-year relative survival rate, according to the American Cancer Society. He also talked about how he thinks his wife has been handling his diagnosis.

Photo credit: Kevin Winter
Photo credit: Kevin Winter

“Jeannie is wonderful,” he explained. “She cried of course this morning when she got the [good] news [about my tumors shrinking]. But it’s been a lot. It’s a lot of pressure.”

Alex and Jean have been married since 1990. The Jeopardy! host met Jean at a party in the late 1980s, according to People, and the rest is history.

While the two have a difficult journey ahead, it's clear that Alex is appreciating all the support he's received from within his family and around the word.

“I’ve got a couple million people out there who have expressed their good thoughts, their positive energy directed towards me and their prayers,” Alex said in May. “I’ve got a lot of love out there headed in my direction and a lot of prayer, and I will never ever minimize the value of that."


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