‘Jeopardy’ Host Alex Trebek Has Uplifting Conversation With Autistic Man Over the Phone Amid Cancer Battle

Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek took some time to lift the spirits of one of his many fans this month, making a phone call to 32-year-old Matthew Kneeter, an avid Jeopardy! fan who is autistic and suffers from epileptic seizures. When Kneeter learned that Trebek had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he became depressed, and his mom, Debbie Stevens, wanted to do something big to cheer her son up and decided to get Trebek on the phone so the pair could chat.

“I wanted to get Alex to cheer him up,” Stevens told the New York Daily News. “I thought that would make him happy.”

In attempting to figure out how to get the host on the phone, Stevens discovered Trebek’s son Matthew, who runs a restaurant in Harlem. She reached out to him, and Matthew promised to contact his dad. On Oct. 18, Stevens learned that Matthew had made good on his promise when she received a voice mail from Trebek while she was in the bathroom.

“This is a message for Michael. My name is Alex Trebek,” the message said. “It is Friday, about 6 o’clock your time. My son, Matthew, who has a restaurant in North Harlem told me that you and your mom had been in contact and you’re fans of the show, and I just wanted to thank you for that, and I appreciate it. I hope you’re well. Maybe someday if you manage to get to Los Angeles, you can come to a taping of the program. That would be great. Hopefully, I’ll still be around hosting it.”

Stevens was distraught and quickly called Matthew, who told her to stay by her phone. Soon after, Stevens’ phone rang and there was Trebek on the other line. Stevens says she and her son chatted with the host for around 10 minutes, during which time he told the pair that he wouldn’t be stepping down from his job as Jeopardy! host.

“I’m going to keep fighting,” Trebek said, according to Stevens. “With God’s grace and prayers from people like you, and good wishes from folks everywhere, I’m going to come through like you.”

Kneeter shared that he was relieved to hear Trebek’s assurance that he would be staying on as the host of Jeopardy! despite his illness, and his mom hopes to one day travel to Los Angeles with her son.

“He’s an amazing person,” Stevens said of Trebek. “He knows how many people love watching the show. He doesn’t want to let people down. As sick as he is, he wanted to assure Michael that he is okay.”

Photo Credit: Getty / Emma McIntyre