Following tragedies, Central High School finds comfort in its football community. At that time, McCaffrey and other Stanford teammates returned to the Valley for a dinner on the anniversary of Hoffpauir's death. Their diagnosis brought immense clarity and a morsel of relief. Zach Hoffpauir, a former football and baseball player at Stanford, died in May of an accidental drug overdose, according to a report citing county medical examiner records in his native Arizona . Instead, he used those to connect with others. In 2011, his last football season at Centennial, Hoffpauir was all over the field as a hard-hitting safety and a red-zone running back finding tough yards into the end zone. Local Sports Things To Do Business eNewspaper Politics USA TODAY Obituaries Travel. Mostly he loved sharing his life and experiences with our players, who he was born to mentor. District co-Most Valuable Players: Holden Butler, senior, Nederland and Angel Valencia, sophomore, Port Neches . Hired in February to coach safeties on Ed McCaffrey's new staff, Hoffpauir coached in the Arizona high school ranks previously. We always talked about living simply when we got older: Hunting, fishing, riding bulls, RVing across the country with @beaukitson (One day we'll do that). He would talk to anyone, she said. Zach Ertz, a Stanford teammate who is now an NFL standout with the Philadelphia Eagles, was one of many to express his emotions on social media. He was a walking example of how to care for people, a rare soul.. The brain disease is linked to repeated head trauma in football. His death revealed the extent of his care toward others. Although he had a plethora of offers from Division I colleges for baseball or football, Zach wanted to play both. Zach Hoffpauir, a two-sport standout at Stanford who earned All-Pac 12 honors as a safety in football and played two seasons in the Arizona Diamondbacks' minor league system, has died at age 26. Life without Zach Hoffpauir wont be easy for those who loved him. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir, center, smiles for a photo with his mother, Shannon, right, and sister Hillary. Local Sports Things To Do Business eNewspaper Politics USA TODAY Obituaries . but it can also be stressful. Survivors include her loving husband of 58 years, Ivy Lee Hoffpauir, 3 children, Dwayne Hoffpauir and wife Valerie, Kevin Hoffpauir and wife . Kenneth Manoj expects to graduate in December 2021 with a masters degree in sports journalism. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir, center, shows off his well-known dance moves with his Stanford teammates before a bowl game in 2016. Doug Hoffpauir wants the world to know that even now, 15 months later, with the CTE diagnosis confirmed, he isnt mad. He was the friend who picked up the phone. In 2016, he returned to Stanford to resume his football career at free safety. To view and sign the Family Guestbook, please visit www . (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir holds up a small sign that reads, "Look who's turning 25," on his birthday. Surviving the attempt led Zach to realize he needed help. 0. Jeb Bush confirmed Thursday ATLANTA Former U.S. Sen. Zell Miller, a lifelong Democrat and the father of Georgia's lottery-funded HOPE scholarship while serving as governor, died Friday. The head coach was Ed McCaffrey, the father of former Stanford star Christian McCaffrey one of Hoffpauirs best friends. Doug said the university reached out the day after news broke about his son's death to . Hug your loved ones extra today. He was 26. His death sent shockwaves into the Peoria, Stanford, and broader football community. As the calendar turned his freshman year, Hoffpauir went on to start at point guard on the schools basketball team and nearly hit .400 on the baseball team. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) Former Stanford safety Zach Hoffpauir died Thursday. Hoffpauir is hoping to regain his starting position at . His heart ached to care for them. He was at the same time: the big brother you always wanted, the life coach you never knew you needed and the friend you knew would always have your back.. They offered him four amazing years., Im not anti-football, he said. He was a true friend and a great brother to anyone he knew. If it was not for his close friend and former football teammate at Stanford, Christian McCaffery, Zach may have never learned the real source for all of his mental health issues. Find an Obituary. Zach Hoffpauir Death. Every time Centennial players step on the field, they will walk by the No. For a report to come out, Just another athlete who died of a drug overdose, Shannon said. More:Former Centennial, Stanford multi-sport athlete Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26. Thats the last thing he said. He played primarily on special teams in football and struggled mightily in baseball. After games, I was like, I dont feel happy, I feel relieved, but then Im thinking about the next one, and Im all stressed out again, Zach said on the podcast Untold with Jordan Simone in September of 2019. His playing style for Stanford football was no exception. (Courtesy of Shannon Hoffpauir), Zach Hoffpauir, left, poses for a photo with his cousin, Morgan Williams, at the family's 2019 Christmas Celebration. He enjoyed horseback riding, fly fishing and vacationing with his family in Mexico, listening to the same music and breathing the same air, his dad said. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative brain disease found posthumously in the brains of football players. Today at No. Family. Yep, thats 99 cents for 90 days, with the option to cancel anytime. Zachs funeral, appropriately physically distant of course, is planned for Saturday, May 30. As he did with all things, Zach put his all into every hit. This documentary sets the story straight and expands on Zach's journey from childhood to mental health struggles in adulthood to the lasting impact he had on. In the documentary, Hoffpauirs mother described a world in which her son lived into middle age. Our prayers are with the Hoffpauir family, though Zach, you are always with us.. View all 23 comments. Zach even joined his mother for a Mothers Day sermon last year when he shared about his mental health. Zach moved in with Doug during this time. Prior to high school, Zach played one year of eight-on-eight tackle football. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) Former Stanford safety Zach Hoffpauir's brain is being donated to Boston University. MIAMI William Henry Trotter Bush, a wealthy investor and the brother and uncle of presidents, has died. Despite being an athletic supernova, Zach remained remarkably humble. 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Doug could tell he was cognizant of and upset by his mood changes. Hoffpauir's father, Doug Hoffpauir, confirmed his death to The Arizona Republic. He survived a suicide attempt in 2019. Hoffpauir recently was hired by Northern Colorado football coach Ed McCaffrey to be his defensive backs coach. Despite never having Zach as a student, she knew him well during his time there. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir wears sunglasses and a lei at his graduation from Stanford. Former Centennial, Stanford multi-sport athlete Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26, Zach Hoffpauir remembered for compassion, friendship during powerful celebration of life, Family donates former Centennial, Stanford athlete Zach Hoffpauir's brain for CTE research, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The legacy of Zach Hoffpauir lives on forever at Centennial high school. "He's someone every time I call him, he was totally present," McCaffrey says in the anniversary dinner speech that is in the documentary. Hoffpauir hit .295 with 11 home runs and 58 RBIs at Stanford and was a Pac-12 honorable mention pick in 2015. ", McCaffrey family hit hard by Hoffpauir's death, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? Grief Support. 1 team. He was a walking example of how to care for people, a rare soul. He was 26. No cause of death for the former Stanford football and baseball player has been released. Football, baseball, basketball and track, it didnt matter. Zach struggled with severe depression and anxiety and was eventually diagnosed with Lyme disease. In school, Zach was loved by many that knew him for his wit and his engaging personality. The medical examiners report cited fentanyl toxicity as Hoffpauirs cause of death, according to the KPNX report, noting that it was ruled an accident. On stage at Christs Church of the Valley after Zachs death, Tyler Thorne urged those in attendance to live as Zach did to be completely present for the needs of others. But as he played through those first three years, he began to feel the effects of playing two sports at an elite collegiate level, while also meeting the academic standards of a college like Stanford. College Sports | He had to medically retire due to concussions prior to Stanfords bowl game in 2016. Former Stanford football player Zach Hoffpauir was posthumously diagnosed with CTE at the age of 26, a physician who researches the disease said on Tuesday . He made a difference in the life of every person he met.. The statistical production wasnt there yet, but Zach Hoffpauir didnt need to produce on the field to make an impact on his teams. Zachs loved ones will remember his athletic accomplishments, but more than that, theyll remember his gentle spirit that gave love to anyone who would accept it. 197,654 likes. After graduating from Stanford, Hoffpauirs physical and mental health declined. Zach was known for encouraging friends to keep pursuing their faith and shooting the breeze with family friends. McCaffrey shared similar sentiments, noting Zachs unique passion for leading the players and honesty about his own experiences. To the casual onlooker, it would have seemed Zach had life all figured out. The University of Northern Colorado, where Hoffpauir was hired in February as an assistant football coach in charge of the safeties, said Hoffpauir died in his sleep Thursday. He was a natural at just about any sport he played.. It lists . On Saturday, May 30, 2020, hundreds gathered at Christs Church of the Valley in Peoria, Arizona to celebrate the life of Zach Hoffpauir. He was recently hired as an assistant coach for Northern Colorado as his minor league baseball career was officially . Christian McCaffrey, a running back for the Carolina Panthers, paid tribute . We were celebrating his accomplishments not knowing that it caused a lot of pressure for him to perform.. He wanted to touch their lives and make sure they were whole on the inside and not just football players to be used.. Somethings wrong with me and I dont know what it is, Zach said of his thoughts at the time. Soon after, the Hoffpauirs sent Zachs brain to Boston University for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy research where it was determined he had already progressed to stage two CTE. They cheered for her the entire match. Zach treated his cousins like siblings and friends like family. His brain was later studied at the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, where researchers diagnosed him with Stage 2 (of 4) CTE. His lowest point came in the spring of 2019 when he tried to overdose on Xanax and Benadryl, he said on a podcast last fall. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.comor 602-316-8827. A medical examiner's database says that Hoffpauir, who was only 26 years old, died on May 14. He was our he was kinda like our heartbeat honestly, he was the personality of the team.. Visitation at Johnson's Funeral Home will be held at 11:00 AM until the start of the funeral service at 1:00 PM on . Zach took the job as a defensive backs coach at NCU. I dont want to act and feel this way. Zach Hoffpauir. He was a young, intelligent coach with limitless potential.. He was born to Shannon Hoffpauir, Doug Hoffpauir, According to AZCentral, Hoffpauir was staying with his dad in Arizona during the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis. The next play, the next at-bat, the next game, the next sport, the next season. At times, you just didnt know what you could do to help him. Ill never be the same, his mother, Shannon Hoffpauir, said. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; } . Zachs heart was with ASU, Shannon said in the documentary, But pressure from his family, his friends, and himself, influenced Zach into choosing Stanford. His mood changed. To those who knew him, he provided a light that shone in the darkest places and will continue to impact people even in his passing. He would have been 82 on his birthday, August 20. You can see the history of people like Zach, going slowly downhill. Zach acknowledged that he felt the weight of those who were rooting for him, those that dreamed so highly for him, and could not bear the thought of letting them down. Zach could sit with the lowest of the low and knew how to show up for people. Interment will . A memorial gathering for Carl will be held Monday, July 25, 2022, from 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM at St Bernard Memorial Funeral Home, 701 W. Virtue St., Chalmette, LA 70043, followed by a memorial service from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM. He made me better.. The school provided no further details. Jayden Sormani expects to graduate December 2021 with a bachelors degree in sports journalism. He was always honest, protected those he loved from the harshness of the world, and celebrated their joys. College Sports | All he ever wanted to do was make people proud, and he did, Hillary Hoffpauir said. Zach's family . CLF is a Registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit Organization, In a September 2019 interview on Untold,, in a 2021 documentary from Sports360AZ about Zachs life. Zach Hoffpauir was a multi-sport athlete at Centennial High School in Peoria, Arizona before becoming an all-conference defensive back and outfielder for Stanford University. On top of the depression and anxiety, he was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in 2019, which weakened his immune system. The Moving can be an exciting experience. But even the most gifted focus on just one sport in high school. He persisted and persevered.. Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 646th pick of the 22nd round, Zach split time between Missoula, Montana, and Hillsboro, Oregon. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? Stanford women: Brink, Jones power No. Id never seen him happier than in the last couple months.. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.comor 602-316-8827. Zach also set an important precedent by talking about his own struggles with mental health and encouraging others to seek help in their darkest hours. Zach Hoffpauir (above in 2014), who played a combined seven seasons for the Cardinal on both the football field and baseball diamond, passed away yesterday at just 26 years old. Just imagine what Zachs parents are going through, said Dr. Ann McKee, Director of the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, in a 2021 documentary from Sports360AZ about Zachs life. Stanford was excellent to Zach, he said. His natural athletic talent led him to success at Centennial High School in Arizona, Stanford and a brief stint with a Minor League Baseball team. Doug Hoffpauir is sharing his sons story to shine a light on the effects of CTE and to encourage those struggling to seek help. We were all lucky to know you for the time we did.. Gratitude became an important part of Zachs healing process. The family will also hold a Celebration of Life at a later date. But Hoffpauirs brain was not like that of a normal 20-something. Grabill has interned as a photographer with McGaw YMCA Camp Echo and Phoenix Magazine. He was the definition of a natural athlete. Zach knew something was wrong. Find out how your news organization can use Cronkite News content. David Shaw, Zachs head football coach at Stanford, said Zach had the uncanny ability to get inside you. Zach motivated people, made them feel better and sometimes reduced the size of their egos. I love you and your family and I promise we'll make you proud. Northern Colorado assistant coach Zach Hoffpauir has died, the program has announced. The mini explosions were always followed by apologies. He did things the right way. The news hit Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey and his family hard. A Mass of Christian Burial for Joel Norman Hoffpauir, 48, will be 11:00AM Wednesday December 3, 2014 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Erath with Rev. "He loved his head coach, Ed McCaffrey. Zach had previously detailed some of his experiences with depression, which can be a symptom of chronic traumatic encephalopathy the degenerative brain disease linked to head trauma in football and other sports. He was like a brother to our boys and recently found his calling as our safeties coach https://t.co/eNYbQB30fv. Find Fishing Supplies listings in San Francisco, CALIFORNIA. Dont mess with his friends, dont mess with his family, said Lynn. He was born on September 21, 1993, in Glendale, Arizona, United States. The night of May 14, 2020, Zach Hoffpauir and Shaw spoke on the phone for several hours. 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We, as his family, believed that he could do whatever he wanted in life, said Doug. Arizona Cardinals facilities grade poorly in anonymous NFLPA poll, Coin collectors unite: National Money Show in Phoenix features rare currency, Desert Botanical Garden nurtures endangered monarchs and native butterflies at Majestic Mariposas exhibit, Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Kyle Lewis looks to swat injury bug and return to form with new club, Bobby Miller, Gavin Stone usher in new era of Los Angeles Dodgers pitching, Tiger Woods newest business venture opens its doors in Glendale, Hobbs says state will not proceed for now with court-ordered execution, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. *** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716. Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. My sincere condolences to Zachs family and his many friends.. (Photo by Mary Grace Grabill/Cronkite News). Talented young athletes often dominate several sports in elementary school and even high school. "He was so excited to get back to Northern Colorado and try to influence lives beyond football. Of course, he didnt have everything together. 2023 Cronkite News. You could just feel the charisma coming off of him, Justin Sanchez said. But by the time he was 26, after several concussions at Stanford, his frontal lobe was full of the lesions that are the hallmark of CTE. Originally published by The Associated Press on May 16, 2020. He began writing whenever he felt anxious, listing whatever he felt grateful for in that moment to ground him. I mightve just fallen on my knees and cried, Doug Hoffpauir said, holding back tears. He began working locally, working with high school football teams in the Peoria and Phoenix area, including his old stomping ground, Centennial. He also starred as an outfielder on Stanfords baseball team and was drafted by the Diamondbacks in 2015. Its probably what the public will remember him for. The University of Northern Colorado football team honored its former assistant coach Zach Hoffpauir, who died unexpectedly in May 2020. Zach would come back to Arizona, medically retired from football. Hoffpauir died on May 14 . Zach loved sports and the opportunities they gave him, but he loved spending time with people a lot more. He hit .258 with 3 home runs in 62 at-bats in Class A ball that summer, then returned to Stanford to resume his football career in 2016. He challenged me, said Shaw. Christian McCaffrey was his best friend. Injuries took a toll on him during his football career, causing him to retire. He was the uniter in his family and in his locker rooms. Every day Zach Hoffpauir gave his love and passion to his family, his teammates and the players he coached. At Stanford, Hoffpauir played safety in football and was a star baseball player. Hillary Hoffpauir, Zachs 23-year-old sister, remembers how his football team got out of practice for her first junior varsity volleyball game as a freshman. 31, now painted in the team's red and white above the 31-yard line, that will forever represent everything they believed their son, Zach, valued. This eventually led him to getting a coaching job with the University of Northern Colorado, coaching the safeties. The attempt to take his own life came after several life-changing events, including his parents divorce, a breakup and his grandmothers cancer diagnosis. The father of Zach Hoffpauir, the former Stanford football player and Northern Colorado football coach who died last week at the age of 26, said the family has donated Hoffpauir's brain to . Zach Hoffpauir, a two-sport standout at Stanford who earned All-Pac 12 honours as a safety in football and played two seasons in the Arizona Diamondbacks minor league system, has died at age 26. To the general public, Zach Hoffpauir is just an athlete and coach who died too soon. The passing of this extraordinary talent was devastating to his wide circle. He was in the middle of everything, from his dance moves to his football hits, to his baseball home runs, to his transparency and resiliency and leading the room. Dolores was born December 26, 1932 in Shreveport and grew up in Leesville. 2023 www.azcentral.com. This narrowed his choice to two colleges: Arizona State and Stanford. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir laughs while he holds an iPad at his family's Christmas celebration. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir signs his autograph on the Stanford Cardinals team poster. My testosterone levels were almost gone. UCLA stuns Stanford women in Pac-12 tournament semifinals, Brink, Jump lead No. Jaguars won't spend big, but here are five players they could target in free agency, The most memorable pre-NFL draft workouts ever: Coaches, scouts, execs make their picks, 2023 NFL franchise tag tracker: Raiders tag Josh Jacobs, the NFL's rushing leader. Are you or someone you know struggling with lingering concussion symptoms or possible CTE? 31 jersey retired this month. Here is the All-District 38-4A boys soccer team, as selected by the league's coaches. He was an inspiration to all who have faced adversity. This is not a DEATH NOTICE / OBITUARY, this is a developing story. , A post shared by Christian McCaffrey (@christianmccaffrey) on May 15, 2020 at 8:07am PDT. Though concussions derailed his dreams of playing pro football, Hoffpauir was a member of three Pac 12 champion football teams, played in two Rose Bowls and was an All-Pac 12 honorable mention. All the things you try to instill in your kid, he was doing that. Zach showed me the way when I got to college. 31 painted near the 31-year-line. Last Thursday morning, Zach Hoffpauir passed away at the age of 26. He hit .258 with three home runs and seven RBIs in 62 at-batsbetween rookie and Single-A ball. And same for the people who went through it with him. 31, now painted in the teams red and white above the 31-yard line, that will forever represent everything they believed their son Zach valued. On the field, Zach excelled in baseball and football, and earned All-American honors for both. Centennial remembers football standout Zach Hoffpauir, a life taken too soon. The world lost a legendary friend and family member, said Cara Burkholder, longtime friend. I could only speculate that started four or five years earlier.. Doug Hoffpauir said in the days after his sons death that he was certain Zach did not die by suicide. Low 42F. On Untold, Zach shared how deep his emotional pain went. The Stanford Cardinal family collectively mourned one of their own this weekend after the news of Zach Hoffpauir, the former two-sport star, passed away on Friday, May 15, 2020.. Hoffpauir was with his father, who confirmed the news to the Arizona Republic, not citing a cause. It didnt kill former Stanford football player Zach Hoffpauir, who died accidentally in May 2020 when he unknowing took Percocet that had been laced with fentanyl. McCaffrey, 23, on Friday posted a picture of Hoffpauir on Instagram with the message, "Yesterday, Heaven gained an angel, and I lost one of my best friends in the world. 35: Stanford. Christian McCaffrey was his best friend. Their brains should be pristine. Zach, 26, died in his sleep May 15 at his fathers home in Arizona. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. This beautiful, talented, incredibly intelligent young man dying at 26 with the ravages of this disease in his brain.. Cronkite News, the news division of Arizona PBS, is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. Zach also started coaching back at Centennial High. He was Do tax exemptions apply to costs like burial, cremation and floral arrangements? More than 800 guests attended Bal Masque XLI, which carried out the theme . Zach Hoffpauir was 26 years old. Once again, the sleepless nights began. He had so much to look forward to. Try our free interactive obituary template. I am so incredibly saddened that a bright light that could have had such a positive influence on so many lives burnt out way too soon, McCaffrey wrote in an email.