Alex Trebek Will Remain on ‘Jeopardy!,’ Admits He Struggles With Depression | Eastern North Carolina Now

Publisher's note: This informational nugget was sent to me by Ben Shapiro, who represents the Daily Wire, and since this is one of the most topical news events, it should be published on BCN.

The author of this post is Paul Bois.

    Though Alex Trebek will remain on "Jeopardy!" as he continues his fight against pancreatic cancer, the famed game show host admits to recently struggling with depression.

    Speaking with "Good Morning America," Trebek said he experiences moments of sadness that can sometimes make him a difficult person to be around.

    "My oncologist told me one of the symptoms, if you will, of pancreatic cancer is that you get these moments of depression, sadness," Trebek said, as reported by Fox News.

    Trebek added that his wife, Jean, has had to sometimes "tread lightly" in his presence as she takes care of his difficult symptoms.

    "It's always tough for caretakers because [Jean] has to deal with her worrying about my well-being," said Trebek. "I'm not always the most pleasant person to be around when I'm experiencing severe pain or depression, and she has to tread lightly around me."

    With that, Trebek reflected upon how his fight with pancreatic cancer has helped him reflect upon his own mortality.

    "I have learned something in the past year and it's this: We don't know when we're going to die," Trebek said. "Because of the cancer diagnosis, it's no longer an open-ended life, it's a closed-ended life because of the terrible ... survival rates of pancreatic cancer. Because of that, and something else that is operating here, people all over America and abroad have decided they want to let me know now, while I'm alive, about the impact that I've been having on their existence."

    Indeed, Trebek has received much love and support from fans and non-fans alike throughout this process. Nothing better illustrated this than when Trebek noticeably became choked up during an episode of "Jeopardy!," in which a contestant wrote "We love you Alex" for the "Final Jeopardy" answer.

    Earlier this year, Trebek's cancer appeared to be in "near remission" after initially undergoing treatment. "I've gone through a lot of chemotherapy and thankfully that is over," he said this past August. "I'm on the mend and that is all I can say right now."

    That announcement occurred just five months after the host stunned audiences when he announced his battle with stage four pancreatic cancer - a disease that yields a survivor rate of just 3%.

    "I have some news to share with all of you, and it's in keeping with my longtime policy of being open and transparent with our 'Jeopardy!' fan base," he said in the video. "I also wanted to prevent you from reading or hearing some overblown or inaccurate reports regarding my health. So therefore, I wanted to be the one to pass along this information. Now, just like 50,000 other people in the United States each year, this week I was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer."

    In what can only be described as a miracle, Trebek revealed several months later that the disease was in near remission. Speaking with PEOPLE, Trebek credited his recovery to the prayers of millions of fans, with doctors admitting they may have played a significant factor in his recovery.

    "I told the doctors, this has to be more than just chemo," he told the outlet. "I've had a couple million people out there who expressed their good thoughts, their positive energy, and their prayers. The doctors said it could very well be an important part of this."