Alex Trebek and Larry King's children accept posthumous Emmy awards for their dads
In the most touching moments of Friday's 48th annual Daytime Emmy Awards, the children of late television greats Alex Trebek and Larry King accepted posthumous awards for their fathers. "Jeopardy!" host Trebek received an award for outstanding game show host.
"Over the past 37 years the show became a second family," said Trebek's daughter, Emily Trebek, standing alongside her brother, Matthew Trebek. "He was always excited to go to work, even during his battle with cancer. He was so fortunate that he was able to do what he loved and we know he not once took it for granted. So on behalf of our family we thank you so much."
The elder Trebek died at age 80 in November 2020 after battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer, surrounded by his family and friends.
Earlier this month, Trebek's eldest daughter, Nicky Trebek, who he adopted when married to his first wife, Elaine, honored her dad on the family's first Father's Day without him in an Instagram post.
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In 2019, Trebek received a standing ovation at the Emmys when he accepted the award for outstanding game show host following the announcement that he was battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
Jean Trebek, the television show host's widow, told Savannah Guthrie in an interview on TODAY about some of her late husband's special qualities.
"I think that is one of Alex's gifts was that he could be very resolute and know that the truth will not hurt you, and he wanted to empower people to move through whatever challenge they had in life with a sense of inner strength, inner dignity and love," she said.
The late Larry King was named outstanding informative talk show host during Friday's show as well, and his sons — Chance King and Cannon King — accepted the award in his honor.
"This last season was a testament to his love for broadcasting," said Chance. "And as much as he is gone, he is with us in our hearts forever. We love you so much, dad."
"We love you, dad," added Cannon. "And thank you to the Academy."
King's kids have been outspoken about their love for their legendary dad and the influence he had on their lives.
“The world knew Larry King as a great broadcaster and interviewer, but to us he was 'dad,'" the family said in a Facebook post following his death. "He was the man who lovingly obsessed over our daily schedules and our well-being, and who took such immense pride in our accomplishments — large, small, or imagined.”
The veteran television broadcaster and host of "Larry King Live" died in January at 87.
