Here's how 'Jeopardy' is handling a contestant's death
Competing on Jeopardy was a "lifelong dream" for 41-year-old Cindy Stowell, according to host Alex Trebek. The Austin native, a science content developer, filmed her episode of the popular gameshow on Aug. 31, 2016, while battling Stage IV cancer.
She died on Dec. 5, a week before her episode was scheduled to debut. Jeopardy has confirmed that Stowell's episode will air as planned on Tuesday, Dec. 13, although a rep for the show declined to comment on any potential plans for an on-air tribute.
This puts Jeopardy in a unique situation -- since the episode was filmed several months ago, any on-air comment from Trebek relating to Stowell's death would need to be taped separately, so it remains to be seen whether the show will go that route or perhaps opt for a tribute card after the episode.
Stowell's primary goal in competing, according to her family, was to donate her winnings to cancer research charities.
“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,” reads a statement from family members Greg Stowell and Carole Stowell, and Cindy’s longtime boyfriend Jason Hess.
Stowell passed the show's online contestant test in early 2016. In the summer, she received an invitation to the next round of the process: an in-person audition in Oklahoma City, Okla.
She reached out to Jeopardy contestant producer Maggie Speak to see how long the process would take, since by then, her doctors had told her that her prognosis was terminal:
"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 6 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," Stowell wrote. "If it is unlikely that the turnaround time would be that quick, then I’d like to give up my try out spot to someone else.”
Speak told Stowell that if she qualified to compete, she could be booked for a taping as soon as the show's schedule would allow -- three weeks later, on Aug. 31.
When Stowell arrived to compete, only a select group of Jeopardy staffers and Trebek knew she was ill, and her opponents were unaware of her condition.
According to Hess, who paid tribute to his girlfriend on Twitter, Stowell competed on Jeopardy with a high fever that turned out to be a blood infection. He described her as a "badass."
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Stowell's family has requested that donations be made to the Cancer Research Institute in her name.
