Holzhauer Donates $1K To Naperville Woman Who Lost Dad To Cancer

NAPERVILLE, IL — Naperville native James Holzhauer's "Jeopardy!" run may have come to an end, but he's still making an impact on the city he once called home. Holzhauer, who won nearly $2.5 million and broke countless records on the show, recently donated more than $1,000 to help Ann Zediker, of Naperville, in her fight to raise money for pancreatic cancer research in honor of her father's memory.

Zediker's father lost his battle with pancreatic cancer less than six months after he received his diagnosis in 2010. Zediker reached out to Holzhauer to see if he'd attend her annual Naperville Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk on July 14 as "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek is also fighting pancreatic cancer.

"I told [Holzhauer] that Trebek’s diagnosis rocked the world, and my heart sank to hear about how pancreatic cancer hit another beautiful soul and family," Zediker said in a news release.

Holzhauer is unable to attend the July 14 walk due to a scheduling conflict, but he donated $1,109.14 to the cause, writing "For Alex Trebek and all the other survivors."

The amount that Holzhauer donated may ring a bell for "Jeopardy!" fans. Holzhauer's four-year-old daughter was born on Nov. 9, 2014. When he first starting breaking records for daily totals on "Jeopardy!," his grand total was $110,914, an homage to his daughter.

Proceeds from the Naperville Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk benefit the Lustgarten Foundation to help find a cure for pancreatic cancer. Since the Naperville Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk was started by Zediker, it has donated more than $550,000 to the Lustgarten Foundation.

The 2019 Naperville Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk is set to step off from Naperville Pavilion, 500 W. Jackson Ave. at 9:45 a.m. on July 14. Click the link to learn more about how to register and donate to the cause.