PORTLAND, Ore. — The Oregon native who claimed the $100,000 grand prize in the 2019 "Jeopardy!" Teen Tournament is giving back in a big way.
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According to KGW-TV, Columbia University student Avi Gupta, 18, paid tribute to the show's host, Alex Trebek, on Monday by donating more than $10,000 to the Knight Cancer Institute at Oregon Health & Science University.
Trebek, 79, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier this year.
In a video posted to the institute's Twitter account, Gupta called Trebek "someone I've looked up to my whole life."
"It was a dream come true earlier this year to finally join him on the 'Jeopardy!' stage in the 'Jeopardy!' Teen Tournament," he said in the clip. "And I'm honored to be able to make this donation to the Knight Cancer Institute to support him and the millions of other people suffering from pancreatic cancer across the world."
Teen Jeopardy! champion Avi Gupta donated $10K to honor his hero, Alex Trebek. Join him this #PancreaticCancer Awareness Month by making a donation to honor someone you're #InspiredBy: https://t.co/otf5yeZCVV pic.twitter.com/qtGdMvr6k6
— OHSU Knight (@OHSUKnight) November 1, 2019
The Knight Cancer Institute said Gupta's $10,314 donation – $10,000 plus $314 for pi – "will support cutting-edge treatments and research into the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer underway" at the facility.
"We've all known someone who's been affected by cancer," Gupta said in a statement. "My hope is to bring everyone together to raise awareness, as well as funds, for early detection research."
Cox Media Group
