On the Tuesday, May 22 episode of the Jeopardy! Masters tournament, contestant Mattea Roach, who uses they/them pronouns, opened up about a very intense personal loss and how Jeopardy! was actually a major help as they went through it.
The touching moment was so emotional that host Ken Jennings got visibly choked up. In the video, shared to Jeopardy!'s Instagram account, Jennings asked Roach about their most prized possession, which they said was "a denim jacket on extended loan from [their] dad.
" Roach answered, "Well, it's now on permanent loan, unfortunately. My dad actually passed away at the start of the month very suddenly."
This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. They went on, talking about the impact their father had on them, saying, "He’s a huge part of the reason why I’m here. He and my mom instilled an early love of geography in me. My dad taught me all about Turner Classic Movies and old music and all sorts of things.”
"So I wanted to, in what might be my last game of the series, really recognize the impact he had on my life," said Roach. But Roach also revealed how Jeopardy! supported them on the day that they found out about their father Phillip Roach's passing.
They said, "I was actually here at set when my dad died, and everyone who was at production, my fellow contestants, I could not have asked for better support going through what is the worst day of my life so far... My whole family is so thankful for everyone here at Jeopardy! for helping us through this really difficult time."
The conversation turned back to Jennings then, who said very emotionally, "Mattea, all of us here at Jeopardy are just heartbroken and so sorry for your loss. And speaking as a dad, I can only guess at how proud he must have been of you, and I’m so glad he had the chance to see you play.”
In the comments on Instagram, many fans of the show shared their condolences with Roach. One fan eloquently wrote, "Mattea, You speak with such love and graciousness... You left me, and I am certain, many others misty eyed. Sending you, love, light and my deepest condolences ." Clearly, the audience watching was just as affected by Roach's personal story as Jennings was.
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