Published Nov 17, 2020

Ryan Reynolds’ Last Conversation With Alex Trebek Before He Passed From Cancer Left Quite an Impression: ‘Hug Them Tight, the People in Your Life’

Details

Some Last Words

Actor Ryan Reynolds says his last phone call with Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek before his passing made him appreciate the people around even more.
Trebek passed away from pancreatic cancer, which is one of the most difficult cancers to successfully treat.
While facing cancer, it’s important to take a step back and appreciate life for a moment; this can help people stay positive.

Actor Ryan Reynolds, 44, is sharing details from a memorable conversation he had with Alex Trebek just two months before Trebek passed from pancreatic cancer.

Reynolds had appeared on Jeopardy! a number of times over the years, and according to the actor, was in talks with Trebek about making yet another appearance. While speaking to him on the phone, they floated the idea by one another, but it turned out due to a scheduling conflict Reynolds wouldn’t able to come through. That was the last time Reynolds was able to speak to the beloved TV icon, and now he’s realized what an impact it made on him.

“When you speak with people like that that you grew up watching and suddenly you are talking to them on the phone, you start to reflect,” Reynolds tells Extra. “You just never know; tomorrow is not a given. Hug them tight, the people in your life. It was really shocking and sad. Obviously, he was sick and it wasn't totally, wildly unexpected. It's still heartbreaking nonetheless. It's absolutely gut-wrenching.”

In early October, both Reynolds and Trebek shocked everyone when the Jeopardy! host appeared in the trailer for Reynold’s upcoming movie “Free Guy.” This kind gesture from Trebek made a lasting impression on Reynolds, who once hearing the news of Trebek’s passing, penned a touching message in his honor.

Alex Trebek was kind enough to film a cameo for our film Free Guy last year despite his battle. He was gracious and funny. In addition to being curious, stalwart, generous, reassuring and of course, Canadian. We love you, Alex. And always will.
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) November 8, 2020

Challenges Detecting Pancreatic Cancer

Trebek was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer in March 2019, and regularly kept fans up to date on his health and treatment progress. Turns out, that honesty has helped many people be more proactive about their own health. This can be life-saving when it comes to detecting pancreatic cancer, especially since the disease is often caught in advanced stages at the time of diagnosis.

Currently, there’s no routine screening guidelines for pancreatic cancer since the pancreas is in a channeling location to examine. Plus, symptoms of the disease often don’t present themselves until the cancer has already spread leading to a disproportionally large number of late stage diagnoses.

“By the time individuals walk into the clinic with symptoms like jaundice, weight loss, back pain, or diabetes, it’s often very late in the stage of the disease,” Dr. Anirban Maitra, co-leader of Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot at MD Anderson Cancer Center, previously told SurvivorNet in an interview. “Each year in the United States, about 53,000 patients get pancreatic cancer, and unfortunately, most will die from this disease within a few months to a year or so from the diagnosis. The reason for that is that most individuals, about 80%, will actually present with what we called advanced disease, which means that the cancer has either spread beyond the pancreas or into other organs like the liver, and so you cannot take it out with surgeries.”

Dr. Anirban Maitra breaks down challenges in detecting pancreatic cancer

Enjoy the People Around You

A cancer diagnosis can really put life into perspective for some. While going through treatment and trying to reach milestones such as birthdays, anniversaries, or other special occasions, it really shows how important the people around you are.

While Brianna Wagner was going through treatment for stage 3 ovarian cancer, she certainly faced her fair share of obstacles. However, she never lost sight of appreciating special moments that would happen or the support system surrounding her. “My goal every day is to find something good in it, take time to actually enjoy everything around you,” Brianna told SurvivorNet.

Brianna refused to let stress control her cancer journey, and instead of looking for answers on the internet, she turned to her friends and medical team for advice in coping and treatment options. This likely helped Brianna with her treatment tremendously, especially since facing cancer can send you on a roller-coaster of emotions. Despite this challenge, Brianna never stopped appreciating the life she has.

“If you worry yourself too much, that’s actually going to make you– it’s going to make you sick to your stomach,” Brianna says. “So you’ve just got to kind of relax and talk to your team. Tell them everything that you’re feeling. Don’t try to hide anything. I know some things are embarrassing. But you know what? Tell them because there’s probably someone that’s been through it, and they probably can help you.”

Ovarian cancer survivor Brianna Wagner encourages everyone to appreciate the life around them

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