New York (CNN) A New York mother arranged an unforgettable gift to her autistic son, a die-hard "Jeopardy!" fan -- a phone call with host Alex Trebek.

Learning about Trebek's struggle with pancreatic cancer crushed her son, said Debbie Stevens, a pulmonary fibrosis survivor from Brooklyn. She decided to arrange a call for the two of them so her 32-year-old son, Michael Kneeter, could wish Trebek well.

The search began about a month ago with Stevens on a mission to track down Trebek. "I'm a very driven person," she told CNN. "I can't take 'no' for an answer." She said she knew it was important for her son to speak to Trebek, since Kneeter lost his father to cancer 15 years ago.

During her research, Stevens found that Trebek's son, Matthew, owns a restaurant in Manhattan. She called the Mexican eatery, Oso, and told an employee she needed to speak to Matthew Trebek, and that it was personal.

Stevens kept the conversation light, and Kneeter joined, telling Matthew, "I hope he (his father) feels better." Stevens was persistent and followed the call with a get-well card she sent via certified mail, this time kindly requesting that Alex Trebek connect with them, as "it would thrill my son."

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