‘Jeopardy!’ Contestant’s Heartbreak as Husband Dies Just Before Her Episode Airs
This… Is… Jeopardy!
For exclusive news and updates, subscribe to our Jeopardy! Newsletter:
Jeopardy! contestant Maria Lauro, who is taking the Alex Trebek stage tonight on Friday, December 20’s episode, had tragic news she wished to share with fans. Her husband, Leo David Sweeney Jr., “unexpectedly” died between her show taping and airing. Lauro’s contestant anecdote was a shoutout she planned to surprise him with.
Lauro, a contract specialist from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, faces Joe Asaminew, an ER physician from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and one-day champ Laura Faddah, a manager from Memphis, Tennessee. Ahead of airtime, she took to the Jeopardy! Reddit channel, titling her message, “Friday’s episode.”
“Today is probably the most bittersweet day of my life,” she wrote. “Thanks to the encouragement of my husband, I tried out and actually made it to the Alex Trebek stage. And, as you’ll see when you watch, I gave him a huge shout out in my interview, which I was keeping a secret. And he’s never going to see it because he unexpectedly died three weeks ago. (He did know how I did.)”
She continued, “I’ve got a bunch of people meeting me at a local bar that plays the show every night. I know he’d want me to enjoy my 15 minutes of fame. But god, this is hard. I’ll jump into the main thread to talk about how I did and my thinking during the game. It was one of the best experiences of my life.”
Fans took to the comments section mourning Lauro’s loss and praising her strength during an unthinkable situation, sharing he’s with her as she competes in another sense.
“Sending you peace. I’m sure he’s looking down and was cheering you on!” one wrote. “Enjoy your evening with your friends marking your achievement!
“Sorry for your loss. I’m not religious, but I do believe there’s something after, and if he can’t see it, he will feel your joy of watching the show,” wrote another.
“What a lovely way to honor him – telling millions of people what he means to you in a way that can be recorded! I’m sorry for your loss but so glad he got to know that you made it on that stage. Enjoy your moment – he’ll be with you tonight,” wrote a third.
“Well I definitely know who I’m rooting for tonight,” penned a fourth.
“I have no words, Maria,” wrote a fifth. “Thank you for sharing with us, and I’m glad that your husband was so loving that he encouraged you to have this wonderful experience. We’ll be rooting for you!”
As Lauro mentioned in her message, she addresses her husband in her interview anecdote as a Christmas gift to him before the loss for encouraging her to get on the show. “My husband has been getting me to get me to apply for the show for years,” she tells Ken Jennings. “This is my first time trying out. Before I got the call he was like, ‘is it time yet for you to reapply?’ He’s my coach. My Christmas present to him: honey you were right.”
Maria Lauro with her late husband Leo and son- public Facebook account
Leo David Sweeney Jr. died at the age of 61 on November 29, 2024, according to his obituary from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
A graduate of Central Catholic High School and the University of Pittsburgh, Sweeney went on to become a realtor for Howard Hanna Real Estate Services for more than 35 years. His obituary shares that his “three biggest passions were tennis, cooking and his family.” He is survived by his wife, Maria Lauro, and their son, Leo.
The father and son shared a big love of watching the Steelers and cooking. Leo is a graduate of Carnegie Melon University and is now a law student at American University. Meanwhile, Sweeney and Lauro met after high school and shared a “strong marriage that lasted over 30 years.”
The obituary continues, “Leo was Maria’s biggest cheerleader. For many years, he encouraged her to try out for Jeopardy! She finally did in 2023 and after she got the call to be on the show last August, he excitedly coached Maria to prepare for her taping in October. Unfortunately, he did not get to see her appearance, which is upcoming on December 20.”
The family requests donations be made to the Shadyside Boys and Girls Club and the Highland Park Tennis Club in the greater Pittsburgh area.
Jeopardy!, Weekdays, check local listings
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services