Jeopardy!paid tribute to former contestantBrayden Smith, who died earlier this year followingcomplications from surgery.
On Friday, during the latest episode of the televised game show series' annual Tournament of Champions, guest hostBuzzy Cohenhonored Smith, who qualified to take part in the tournament ahead of his death.
“You’ve now met all 15 of the players who qualified for the Tournament of Champions — well, almost all,” Cohen, 36, said during thetribute. “Brayden Smith, the incredible young man who won five shows and $115,000 in January, passed away earlier this year.”
Cohen added, “Brayden’s family has established a fund in his name, andJeopardy!will be donating to that fund. We want to express our best wishes and condolences to his family.”
Brayden Smith.Courtesy Jeopardy Productions, Inc.
Smith died on Feb. 5 in Las Vegas, according tohis obituaryinThe Las Vegas Review-Journal. The game show contestant had appeared on several of late hostAlex Trebek’sfinal episodesbefore the host’s death in November from pancreatic cancer.
Smith’s family members told alocal CBS stationin his hometown that he died following complications from surgery. No other details were shared at the time.
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“We are heartbroken to share that our dear Brayden Smith recently passed away unexpectedly,” his mother Debbietweetedin February. “We are so grateful that Brayden was able to live out his dream on @jeopardy.”
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Speaking withEntertainment Weeklyearlier this year,Jeopardy!executive producer Mike Richards spoke about how he believed that Trebek enjoyed having Smith as a contestant on the long-running game show series.
“[Trebek] did, I believe, really like Brayden,” Richards, 45, told the outlet. “I could tell that he very much enjoyed that young man, and that was fun to watch. I think that energized him.”
Smith’s death also marked the third time that a contestant who was supposed to return for the Tournament of Champions died before they could make their return, according toEW, which reported that contestant Cindy Stowell died of colon cancer before her episodes aired back in December 2016, while 2018 Teachers Tournament winner Larry Martin died of pancreatic cancer in January 2019.
source: people.com
