TV personality Alex Trebek is not stressed out about the coronavirus outbreak amid his battle with cancer. In fact, longtime friend Ruta Lee exclusively tells Closer Weekly Alex, 79, is “managing quite well.”

“God bless him. He made it easy,” she says. However, Ruta admits Alex was having a hard time staying busy when Jeopardy! announced they were going on hiatus due to COVID-19. “For a short time, yes. He’ll go back, you know. It’s tough on him,” she explains. “He said there [are] times when his energy sags terribly, but the [producers at Jeopardy! are] very very good about giving him a little break. It’s OK to take 15 or 20 minutes to sum it all back up again.”

Alex-Trebek
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While at home, Alex has been doing everything he can to keep his mind sharp. For instance, he’s been fixing things around the house. “He knows how to do plumbing, he knows how to do carpentry, electrical work. He loves to read. So he’s OK,” Ruta reveals. “He knows how to do everything and he has every tool in the world because he bought out a hardware store that was going out of business.”

The game show host’s wife, Jean Trebek, is also doing her best to make sure her hubby remains in good health. Due to his stage IV pancreatic cancer diagnosis, Alex has to take everything very seriously.

“I think that’s part of it. He has the most beautiful [wife] in every way,” Ruta gushes about Jean, who’s giving her hubby sound healing. “She’s not only beautiful on the outside but she’s beautiful internally, and spiritually. She’s very very much a handmaid of the Lord’s.”

While Alex continues to take his health one day at a time, he still feels “grateful” to wake up every day and see the sunrise. In fact, the A-lister told Ruta a couple of months ago that his fans are the reason he’s able to continue doing what he loves.

“He was grateful to be anywhere, as far as he’s concerned. He said while he’s always believed in a greater power, he’s never been very formal in his religion and never really worried about going to church,” she says, “He said, ‘I know I would not be here today or tomorrow or the next if it were not for the millions of prayers that are coming through from my fans and friends.'”

Keep your head up high, Alex!

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