Alex

  Back in early 2020, I wanted to get Alex Trebek's autograph.  I knew he was ill, and I thought it would be good to get it before he died (obviously).  I emailed Jeopardy and was told that Alex doesn't like to do things via email, but I could write to him by sending a letter to his Jeopardy address.  One curse about writing everything on the computer is that you forget how to write in longhand.  It is almost unreadable, even for me.  After all, I took a handwriting course in 4th grade summer school, because it was so bad.  Now, it was almost impossible.

 I got out pen and paper and wrote to Alex.  I tried to write an inspirational letter to him, as I knew he was going through a lot.  I told him my story of suffering from depression and becoming homeless.  I told him about praying to God to rescue me from that situation, and that He prepared me for the next chapter of my life which was to help others whether through encouraging others or through the bus system.  I told him how encouraging he was in helping people through their struggles with cancer.  I also asked for an autographed picture.

 I mailed off my letter, hoping he could read it.  About a week later, I got a large envelope in the mail from Sony Pictures/Jeopardy.  I opened it to find a picture from Alex with a note written at the bottom.  It read:  "Dear Walter, I am so glad you turned your life around and became a positive force for others.  Well done!  Alex Trebek".  I was deeply moved by his words.  I put the photo up on the wall next to my bed, so I would see it before going to sleep as a reminder to do good.

 In November of 2020, Alex Trebek died of his cancer.  It was on a Sunday.  One of my friends who works for WLTX TV in Columbia posted on Facebook that Alex had died.  He asked if anyone had any contact with Alex, because they were going to do a story.  I told him about the inscribed picture that I had gotten earlier in the year.  A reporter called me and asked if she could come over and interview me.  I said yes.  Because of Covid, we were both wearing masks.  She talked with me about the picture and inscription.  They used my interview that night on the local news.  It was kind of funny to me, because WLTX was the only local TV station that the MTRA wasn't featured on, but I did get in the interview about my helping others in the community after being rescued off of the street.  Thanks, Emily, for the interview, and thanks, Alex, for caring.