When we watch Jeopardy on TV, you might be surprised to learn that the shows don’t play immediately after the contest took place in the studio. It actually takes several months in many cases, and this has led to some interesting issues over the years. For one woman named Cindy Stowell, however, the game took on a rather significant meaning.
Cindy was playing jeopardy, not only as a contestant but as a person living out their final days and even filling a dying wish. The episodes of jeopardy with Cindy were originally taped starting on August 31 but she died on December 5 from colon cancer, just a few days before the show was on the air.
She knew that she was dying when she signed on for the show. After passing the test online and then preparing for the audition, the doctors told her something that nobody wants to hear. Although she was only 41 years old, she only was given months to live. She reached out to a Jeopardy producer at that time.
This is part of the email she sent:
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 six 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. It if is unlikely that the turnaround time would be that quick, then I’d like to give up my tryout spot to someone else.
She was booked on the show after only three weeks, which is the fastest possible turnaround. She wasn’t looking for sympathy, she just wanted to compete. Interestingly, only Alex Trebek knew about her condition, her competition was unaware of the situation.
While she was competing on the show, she was fighting a blood infection and was on painkillers. She also had a high fever. Despite all of those issues, she still unseated the previous winner and ended up winning four shows in a row.
Cindy won $61,001 and all of it is going to the Cancer research Institute. According to her loved ones:
“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.”
Her boyfriend also added:
“She knew she wasn’t going to be around, and so she felt like the best thing she could do was try to help do what she could to help get us to a cure faster.”
Via: Inspire More
Be sure to share this with your friends on Facebook
