"Jeopardy" Contestant Dies Before Her Show Airs
Cindy Stowell dreamed her whole life of competing on Jeopardy. And she achieved her dream - but just a week before her episode was scheduled to air, she died from stage 4 cancer, CNN reports.
Stowell, who was a science content developer living in Austin, Texas, took an online test and passed early this year. The 41-year-old had a second-round interview in Oklahoma this summer, and that’s when she left this message with a Jeopardy producer:
Do you have any idea how long it typically takes between an in-person interview and the taping date? I ask because I just found out that I don’t have too much longer to live. The doctor’s best guess is about six months. If there is the chance that I’d be able to still tape episodes of Jeopardy! if I were selected, I’d like to do that and donate any winnings to … charities involved in cancer research. If it is unlikely that the turnaround time would be that quick, then I’d like to give up my tryout spot to someone else.
The producer told her to audition anyway, and if she made it, she would get signed up for a taping as soon as possible. She did make it and filmed her episode three weeks later. As she filmed the competition, only a few people on staff, including host Alex Trebek, knew she was even sick.
“When Cindy Stowell taped her appearance on Jeopardy!, she had stage 4 cancer. Competing on Jeopardy! was a lifelong dream for Cindy, and we’re glad she was able to do so,” Trebek said in a statement. “Sadly, Cindy died on December 5. Our condolences and best wishes to her family and friends.”
Her longtime partner, Jason Hess, wrote on Twitter that “she was such a badass” and was struggling with her health during the taping.
In the early morning hours cancer took the best friend, partner and pub trivia teammate a guy could ask for. Love you always @nanocindy pic.twitter.com/dyyUGZFlSe
- Jason (@habcous) December 5, 2016
She was such a badass. She's going to be on Jeopardy next Tues (12/13). Y'all should watch. pic.twitter.com/4FVcP5rmrO
- Jason (@habcous) December 5, 2016
Be nice. She was fighting a high-grade fever (which turned out to be a blood infection) and was on painkillers while taping. Jesus.
- Jason (@habcous) December 5, 2016
Stowell’s episode airs Dec. 13, and she is the first contestant in the show’s history to die before an episode premiering. “Cindy came on Jeopardy! to play the game she loved and in doing so, she was able to make a contribution to cancer research in the hopes that no one else would have to go through what she did,” her family added in a statement.
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