‘Jeopardy!’ Contestant Dhruv Gaur Tells Ellen Why He Wrote “We Love You Alex!”

Greg Evans

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Dhruv Gaur, the Jeopardy! contestant who choked up Alex Trebek and anyone who watched Monday by writing “We love you Alex!” as his “Final Jeopardy” answer, told Ellen DeGeneres today what was going through his mind when he wrote those words.

Watch the segment below.

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Appearing as a guest on today’s The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Gaur explained that his “Jeopardy Tournament of Champions” appearance was taped in mid-September, shortly after Trebek announced that he was re-entering chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer. Gaur said that when Trebek greeted the contestants backstage before the game, “You could really tell it was tough for him.”

Gaur added later with a laugh, “Obviously I wasn’t going to win the game or anything, so I could try to figure out the right answer or I could do something for this person who might need it right now.”

Gaur lost $1,995 of his $2,000.

The Brown University student, from Gainesville, GA , had won $100,000 on Jeopardy! a year and a half ago, and told DeGeneres that he spent that money on tuition and treated 20 friends to dinner.

Gaur also said on today’s episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show that he and his fellow tournament contestants are playing along at home tonight and Friday and will donate $1 per correct answer to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. He invites viewers to join the challenge.

DeGeneres surprised Gaur with a $25,000 check for the Foundation, as well as a 75-inch TV for himself so he really can watch at home.

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