Jeopardy! contestant Maria Lauro, who’s taking the Alex Trebek stage tonight on Friday, December 20’s episode, had tragic information she wished to share with followers. Her husband, Leo David Sweeney Jr., “unexpectedly” died between her present taping and airing. Lauro’s contestant anecdote was a shoutout she deliberate to shock him with.
Lauro, a contract specialist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, faces Joe Asaminew, an ER doctor from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and one-day champ Laura Faddah, a supervisor from Memphis, Tennessee. Forward of airtime, she took to the Jeopardy! Reddit channel, titling her message, “Friday’s episode.”
“Right now might be essentially the most bittersweet day of my life,” she wrote. “Because of the encouragement of my husband, I attempted out and really made it to the Alex Trebek stage. And, as you’ll see while you watch, I gave him an enormous shout out in my interview, which I used to be retaining a secret. And he’s by no means going to see it as a result of he unexpectedly died three weeks in the past. (He did know the way I did.)”
She continued, “I’ve bought a bunch of individuals assembly me at an area bar that performs the present each night time. I do know he’d need me to get pleasure from my quarter-hour of fame. However god, that is arduous. I’ll bounce into the primary thread to speak about how I did and my considering throughout the recreation. It was among the finest experiences of my life.”
Friday’s present
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Followers took to the feedback part mourning Lauro’s loss and praising her energy throughout an unthinkable state of affairs, sharing he’s together with her as she competes in one other sense.
“Sending you peace. I’m positive he’s wanting down and was cheering you on!” one wrote. “Take pleasure in your night with your mates marking your achievement!
“Sorry on your loss. I’m not spiritual, however I do imagine there’s one thing after, and if he can’t see it, he’ll really feel your pleasure of watching the present,” wrote one other.
“What a stunning method to honor him – telling thousands and thousands of individuals what he means to you in a method that may be recorded! I’m sorry on your loss however so glad he bought to know that you just made it on that stage. Take pleasure in your second – he’ll be with you tonight,” wrote a 3rd.
“Properly I undoubtedly know who I’m rooting for tonight,” penned a fourth.
“I’ve no phrases, Maria,” wrote a fifth. “Thanks for sharing with us, and I’m glad that your husband was so loving that he inspired you to have this glorious expertise. We’ll be rooting for you!”
As Lauro talked about in her message, she addresses her husband in her interview anecdote as a Christmas reward to him earlier than the loss for encouraging her to get on the present. “My husband has been getting me to get me to use for the present for years,” she tells Ken Jennings. “That is my first time attempting out. Earlier than I bought the decision he was like, ‘is it time but so that you can reapply?’ He’s my coach. My Christmas current to him: honey you had been proper.”
Maria Lauro together with her late husband Leo and son- public Fb account
Leo David Sweeney Jr. died on the age of 61 on November 29, 2024, based on his obituary from the Pittsburgh Submit Gazette.
A graduate of Central Catholic Excessive Faculty and the College of Pittsburgh, Sweeney went on to turn into a realtor for Howard Hanna Actual Property Companies for greater than 35 years. His obituary shares that his “three largest passions had been tennis, cooking and his household.” He’s survived by his spouse, Maria Lauro, and their son, Leo.
The daddy and son shared a giant love of watching the Steelers and cooking. Leo is a graduate of Carnegie Melon College and is now a regulation scholar at American College. In the meantime, Sweeney and Lauro met after highschool and shared a “robust marriage that lasted over 30 years.”
The obituary continues, “Leo was Maria’s largest cheerleader. For a few years, he inspired her to check out for Jeopardy! She lastly did in 2023 and after she bought the decision to be on the present final August, he excitedly coached Maria to arrange for her taping in October. Sadly, he didn’t get to see her look, which is upcoming on December 20.”
The household requests donations be made to the Shadyside Boys and Ladies Membership and the Highland Park Tennis Membership within the higher Pittsburgh space.