Only months after losing host Alex Trebek - the face of the show - Jeopardy! also lost
one of their young rising stars when Brayden Smith died on February 5, 2021.
The Nevada native won five games in a row, banking over $115,000 in winnings during his
appearances, and was preparing for his return to the show for the upcoming Tournament of
Champions, as per the New York Post.
Smith's mother posted a tweet on February 12, 2021, confirming her son's death and also
celebrating his appearance on the long-running quiz show.
She wrote,
"We are so grateful that Brayden was able to live out his dream on jeopardy."
The 24-year-old's run on Jeopardy! coincided with the last days of Trebek as the host.
Trebek's final day in studio was October 29, 2020, and he died of pancreatic cancer only
10 days later.
One of Smith's most cherished memories was sharing a stage with the TV icon.
He told the show's correspondent Sarah Whitcomb Foss,
"To finally be on stage with somebody that I've seen five nights a week every week for
over a decade was really a dream come true."
The young contestant had an impact on Trebek's final days on the show.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly in December 2020, Jeopardy! producer Mike Richards said,
"Trebek did, I believe, really like Brayden, because he was young and kind of interesting,
and funny in his own way."
But what caused the trivia star to die so young?
According to the New York Post, Brayden Smith had been in the hospital for days prior to
his death on February 5, 2021.
His family confirmed with 8 News Now that he "died following complications after surgery."
Smith's family also thanked all those who had sent condolences online after the official
Jeopardy!
Twitter account quote-tweeted his mother while tweeting out:
"The Jeopardy family is heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brayden Smith.
He was kind, funny and absolutely brilliant.
"
In the obituary for the young Jeopardy! contestant, he was described as
"A voracious reader and autodidact, a lover of knowledge and an advocate for justice."
He had graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas a year before appearing on the game
show.
To honor his legacy and his thirst for knowledge, his family set up the Brayden Smith Memorial
Fund, which will raise money for students in Nevada.
According to the fund's website:
"Distributions will include funds for scholarship awards, conference fees, seminar tuitions,
research grants, school supplies, field trips, and more."
Fellow Jeopardy! champion James Holzhauer was saddened by Smith's passing and offered
to match initial contributions to the fund.
Holzhauer tweeted,
"Absolutely devastated by the tragic loss of one of Jeopardy's finest players and Las
Vegas's finest humans.
Please consider a donation to Brayden's memorial fund for Southern Nevada students.
I will match the first $10,000."
Before his tragic death, Smith realized his lifelong dream of competing on Jeopardy!
His obituary noted that he showed his knack for knowledge in his teens when he competed
on his high school's Quiz Bowl team.
As a result, Smith's quest for knowledge impressed host Alex Trebek, who gave him the nickname
"Billy Buzzsaw" because of his ability to win consistently, USA Today reported.
Trebek said of Smith in the pre-taped shows, which aired in December 2020,
"He took no prisoners.
He came ready to defeat."
Fans were also impressed with Smith and thanked him for making Trebek happy during his final
days of hosting the show.
One person tweeted,
"I'd like to think that Brayden was a final gift to Alex Trebek.
He loved a great champion."
Another person wrote that they were "really happy that Alex Trebek got a contestant like
Brayden on some of his last shows," because he was "smart as a whip" and "plays the board
like no other."
They added that Smith won the Daily Doubles on his talents rather than his luck.
According to TVLine, Smith was so popular among audiences that he was known as "Alex's
Last Great Champion" on social media.
Teja Chemudupati, who competed against Smith, told The Orange County Register that he was
humbled in defeat.
He said in January 2020,
"I've chatted briefly online with him and I'm rooting for him to go as far as he can
go.
Alex valued champions who could make deep runs.
He would have liked to see someone like Brayden do well.
If I had to lose to anyone, it might as well have been the guy Alex called 'Billy Buzzsaw.'"
Despite the heartbreaking circumstances surrounding Smith's death, it was clear that he made a
lasting impression on Jeopardy! viewers and the people who worked on the show.