Zach grew up in Peoria, Arizona receiving a private, Christian education. Jon Wilner has been covering college sports for decades and is an AP top-25 football and basketball voter as well as a Heisman Trophy voter. 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 . The pressure was. To what degree was CTE involved in Zachs deteriorating emotional and psychological state? Prior to high school, Zach played one year of eight-on-eight tackle football. Former Florida Gov. He rooted for the underdogs. But he knew something was wrong.. Hoffpauir's parents, Doug and Shannon, were recognized At Zachs celebration of life, Stanford administrator Ron Lynn described Zach as a young man with an old soul. Centennial Highs football coach Richard Taylor added a similar sentiment. He was a young, intelligent coach with limitless potential.. I believe life is about how you influence others, Shaw tweeted. He was good friend's with McCaffrey's son, Christian, a running back for the Carolina Panthers. That he didnt have enough love for himself.. All rights reserved. Hoffpauir played two seasons of minor league ball, in 2015 and 2018, hitting .224 with three homers and nine RBIs in 107 at-bats in rookie and Class-A ball. Creative Commons. 1 of 2 Zach Hoffpauir (10) participates in a scrimmage with Stanford Cardinal teammates in Palo Alto, Calif. on Saturday, April 2, 2016. Zach Hoffpauir Age. 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. After the attempt, he began finding healing through a combination of medication, therapy, and self-reflection. Zach went 6-12 with three home runs in the series, including an infamous post-homer stare down with a Cal pitcher who had been taunting Stanford. But on May 14, while living with his father in Phoenix during the pandemic, Hoffpauir took a Percocet to help him sleep and never woke up. Come (his) 40s, he probably would have had either Alzheimers, Lou Gerhigs disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) or Parkinsons, Shannon said, tears in her eyes. A post shared by Zach Hoffpauir (@zachhoff10). When, how and why music should be incorporated into a funeral service, How to create a personal tribute to the life of your loved one, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, J.P. Richardson "The Big Bopper" and Roger Peterson, Making the holiday season bearable during grief. The medical examiner's report is not yet complete and does not yet list a cause of death. Because if he had to, he would challenge you and he would step up and say, This is not right.. I am devastated by the loss of Zach Hoffpauir, a friend to me and my family since his playing days with Christian at Stanford. (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. So, when Ed McCaffery, the former NFL player and Christians father, took the head coaching position for the University of Northern Colorado in February 2020, Christian recommended his father add Zach to the coaching staff. 0. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir laughs while he holds an iPad at his family's Christmas celebration. On Untold, Zach shared how deep his emotional pain went. Zach treated his cousins like siblings and friends like family. Hope Hoffpauir Obituary. Like so many others across this country and around the world, Zach was furloughed due to the pandemic and forced to return to Arizona. HIGH SCHOOL. I could only speculate that started four or five years earlier.. Zach could light up a room like it was nothing, and had this amazing, unique personality. As he grew up, he would hit socks across his home with a spatula. He had trouble sleeping as his mind raced at night. The loss of identity was hard enough, but Zach also endured his parents divorce, his grandmothers lung cancer diagnosis, and a breakup in short succession after he left Stanford. 31 jersey retired this month. Hoffpauir and McCaffrey were teammates at Stanford. 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. While Zachs official cause of death is an accidental overdose, Zachs mother, Shannon, feels that even this label is disingenuous. Hoffpauir's parents, Doug and Shannon, were recognized Christian McCaffrey was his best friend. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert. Two weeks earlier, Hoffpauir passed away from an accidental overdose at age 26. It was a stripping of identity for me, said Zach about the retirement on the 2019 podcast. Back home, Zachs parents could see just how much their son was hurting underneath and after his 21st birthday, he had a failed attempt to take his own life. More:Zach Hoffpauir remembered for compassion, friendship during powerful celebration of life, "Zach Hoffpauir touched the lives of each person he met," says Claudia Faust, executive producer of the documentary. Zach decided to attend Stanford University, where he would continue football and baseball. College Sports | The news hit Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey and his family hard. He was like a brother to our boys and recently found his calling as our safeties coach at Northern Colorado. Family. In a September 2019 interview on Untold, a podcast hosted by fellow former Pac-12 safety Jordan Simone, Zach estimated he had five or six on the record concussions, and that at least two of them came in the 2016 season. Photos courtesy Stanford University. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.comor 602-316-8827. 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 . At the time of his death, he was staying with his father in Arizona during the coronavirus pandemic. Zach Hoffpauir (R) had 99 tackles in his time at Stanford. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? 35: Stanford. Zach Hoffpauir Death and Obituary News - What Happened to Zach Hoffpauir This is a developing story that Zach Hoffpauir may have sadly passed away, according to some statements posted on social media. No cause of death for the former Stanford football and baseball player has been released. Zach Hoffpauir (10) Free Safety - As a Fifth-Year Senior (2016) Phil Steele All-Pac-12 preseason third team 10 games played 35 tackles (26 solo), 0.5 tackles Stanford women: Brink, Jones power No. Zach Hoffpauir, who died at 26 and was perhaps the greatest football player to come out of Centennial, will have his No. Cronkite News, the news division of Arizona PBS, is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. One year after the death of his son, Doug Hoffpauir heard from the brain doctors at Boston University. He left baseball and returned to football, in February landing an assistant coach job at the up-and-coming University of Northern Colorado, coached by Ed McCaffreya former pro and father of current NFL star Christian McCaffrey, Hoffpauirs close friend and former Stanford teammate. UCLA stuns Stanford women in Pac-12 tournament semifinals Zach brought a sparkle to the world that was unlike anything else. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir wears sunglasses and a lei at his graduation from Stanford. He goes I would love to go fishing with you and papa but I have too many video things going on today with school. So the last thing we talked about I just said, Zach I love you, and he goes Yeah, I love you, too.. A standout on Stanford's football and baseball teams, Hoffpauir helped the Cardinal win . College Sports | The night before his death, his mother said he went to bed after taking Percocet, an oxycodone-acetaminophen pain killer that Hoffpaiur acquired from a friend, just to get his first full night of sleep in weeks. "He loved his head coach, Ed McCaffrey. Two Zach Hoffpauir danced well and danced often. Fiorentina captain Astori found dead aged 31 before match. You can see the history of people like Zach, going slowly downhill. He was always honest, protected those he loved from the harshness of the world, and celebrated their joys. Christian McCaffrey saved my life, Zach said in the podcast. (Courtesy of Morgan Williams), Zach Hoffpauir smiles while on the football field at Stanford. According to Dr. Ann McKee, a professor of neurology at Boston University, which works with the Concussion Legacy Foundation, the examination of Hoffpauirs brain revealed a startling level of CTE. I never doubted for a second whether or not he had my back. Zach, 26, died in his sleep May 15 at his fathers home in Arizona. But this time, Zach entered a deep funk. Zach Hoffpauir did not wake up the next morning. In the closing moments of his Untold interview, Zach spoke about the power of vulnerability and opening up to others about what youre going through. Zach Hoffpauir, a former Peoria Centennial and Stanford football safety, died last Thursday at the age of 26. Peter Jelovic, Centennial Highs athletic director, said the school was not yet planning a memorial. /* Add your own MailChimp form style overrides in your site stylesheet or in this style block. Life without Zach Hoffpauir wont be easy for those who loved him. His same ability to connect with people that made him such an outstanding teammate made him an instant fit in coaching. For a report to come out, Just another athlete who died of a drug overdose, Shannon said. The sad thing about it is that Zach loved this: People, fun times, this is who Zach was. 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. He always was looking out for the person he could tell was not accepted. I just want to feel normal., I walked through his darkest days right by his side, said Doug. At the Centennial event, Doug refused to let the pain of his familys loss and the communitys loss bring down this night of celebration. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. He taught me how to not give a fuck about what people think about me, and to do it my way. On the field, Zach excelled in baseball and football, and earned All-American honors for both. Every time Centennial players step on the field, they will walk by the No. 2023 Cronkite News. May 21, 2020. At his first soccer game, Zach played like a man among kids, said Doug Hoffpauir. 2023 www.azcentral.com. The next play, the next at-bat, the next game, the next sport, the next season. 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. He told people about his faith, allowed people to confide in him and provided happiness for others. He detailed how in spring 2019 he attempted to take his life by overdosing on Xanax and Benadryl. Of course, he didnt have everything together. Normally, Doug says Zach would be able to rebound quickly from things. He is a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado with a BA in elementary education and minors in teaching English as a second language and sociology. With Zach preparing for his first season at NCU, he spoke with Shaw about the craft. Here's everything we know, Richardson sets QB mark for vertical, broad jump, QB Young 5-10 1/8, 204 pounds at NFL combine, Sources: Patriots tell QB Hoyer he's being cut, Horns' Robinson: Versatility worthy of early pick, Jones: Not fixated on Cowboys' drought, just '23, Sources: Raiders plan franchise tag for Jacobs, WR Addison to Steelers' Pickett: 'Come get me', Wolverines' Turner wows with 4.26 40 at combine, Everything you need to know about Geno Smith's contract negotiations. His father remembers him first catching a ball when he was nine months old, dribbling a basketball by two, and catching his first fish on a fly rod when he was four. 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. He made 137 more in high school and was in on hundreds of others playing running back and wide receiver. Fiorentina captain Davide Astori, a defender who has also been capped by Italy 14 times, has died, the club EDMONTON A Edmonton homeless man whose spontaneous piano performance was viewed on theinternetby millions ofpeople has died. Zachs physical and mental health were failing him. Hoffpauir's father, Doug Hoffpauir, confirmed his death to The Arizona Republic. Local Sports Things To Do Business eNewspaper Politics USA TODAY Obituaries . 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. This news organization has independently requested a copy of the report from the Maricopa County Medical Examiners Office. A University of Northern Colorado press release stated Hoffpauir made a strong, positive impact in his short time there. Coincidence? Mostly he loved sharing his life and experiences with our players, who he was born to mentor. He would talk to anyone, she said. Hoffpauir was with his father in . Zach Hoffpauir, one of the greatest athletes in Arizona high school history, died Thursday morning. Surviving the attempt led Zach to realize he needed help. Hoffpauir didnt start tackle football until eighth grade and never played in the NFL. He survived a suicide attempt in 2019. To the general public, Zach Hoffpauir is just an athlete and coach who died too soon. This is fun, Zach told Taylor once his helmet was on straight. His father confirmed the death to the Arizona Republic but did not provide a cause. He was the uniter in his family and in his locker rooms. Life is not just about what you accomplish. He didn't play football at Stanford in 2015 and returned for his senior season in 2016. I had a teacher come up and tell me once, said Taylor. If Id have known the extent of his outlay beyond sports, I dont know if I wouldve said anything. The struggle didnt break him, it strengthened him, Burkholder said. (Photo by Mary Grace Grabill/Cronkite News). Several themes emerged from their tearful tributes. After his suicide attempt, Zach began practicing gratitude in a more intentional way. 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Stanford ex-player Zach Hoffpauir, who died, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Bay Area weather: After thunderstorms and hail, snow could be on the way this weekend, Former Stanford player Zach Hoffpauir, who died accidentally, diagnosed with startling CTE levels, Pac-12 recruiting: Huge weekend for Cal while Oregon and L.A. schools also welcome 2024 recruits, Mailbag: Kliavkoffs risky strategy with Pac-12 media rights, Pac-12 basketball Hot Seat breakdown: Decisions loom as March arrives, Best of the West: Our predictions for the mens WCC tournament, Predictions for Pac-12 media rights, network partners and expansion. Glendale native Zach Hoffpauir, who played baseball and football at Stanford University after a brilliant athletic career at Peoria's Centennial High School, died in his sleep May 15. People from all walks of life were invited to his Peoria, Arizona, service to pay respects and remember the honor it was to have known him. And there isnt anyone who can tell them whats happening. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative brain disease found posthumously in the brains of football players. Its probably what the public will remember him for. Hoffpauir was with his father, Doug, in Arizona during the coronavirus pandemic. Zachs funeral, appropriately physically distant of course, is planned for Saturday, May 30. 31 painted near the 31-year-line. I came back somewhere around 11:30, I was really tired and his door was still shut. Zach also began seeing mental health professionals. Talented young athletes often dominate several sports in elementary school and even high school. Yep, thats 99 cents for 90 days, with the option to cancel anytime. But I would fake it.". College Sports | You could just feel the charisma coming off of him, Justin Sanchez said. He was 26. Hoffpauir was known as a hard hitter and suffered at least five documented concussions before medically retiring from football in 2016. 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.. Inside I was so miserable. He was the friend who picked up the phone. The next morning, Hoffpauir did not wake up. Low 42F. The next promising chapter in his life ended suddenly May 15, when Zachary Thomas Hoffpauir, a Glendale native who became a West Valley sports legend, died in his sleep. */. Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 646th pick of the 22nd round, Zach split time between Missoula, Montana, and Hillsboro, Oregon. It changed his life, Doug Hoffpauir said. He was a walking example of how to care for people, a rare soul.. Dont mess with his friends, dont mess with his family, said Lynn. Football, baseball, basketball and track, it didnt matter. Gratitude became an important part of Zachs healing process. Phoenix NBC affiliate KPNX broke the news Thursday. I am devastated by the loss of Zach Hoffpauir, a friend to me and my family since his playing days with my son Christian at Stanford, Bears new head football coach Ed McCaffrey wrote on Instagram on Friday. Tell their story, and publish it online for free. Zach showed me the way when I got to college. *** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference. Christian McCaffrey, a running back for the Carolina Panthers, paid tribute . Yet through the darkest points in his life, he still prioritized others. After Stanford and the finality of not being able to play beyond college, he struggled with what to do in life, said Doug Hoffpauir. Doug Hoffpauir said in the days after his sons death that he was certain Zach did not die by suicide. zachhoff10. I would tell him to breathe deep with Jesus and I would see him soon.. I would hope that seeing (Zachs) number, sharing those stories, keeping a record here on campus allows us the opportunity to not forget, said Adam Larsen, the athletic director at Centennial. The thing I will always remember about him, outside of his great abilities in football and baseball, was he always made everybody around him better, Taylor said. Despite never having Zach as a student, she knew him well during his time there. He couldnt fight this alone. He was like a brother to our boys and recently found his calling as our safeties coach https://t.co/eNYbQB30fv. Zach's loved ones will remember his athletic accomplishments, but more than that, they'll remember his gentle spirit that gave love to anyone who would accept it. Brad Cesmat, founder and CEO of Sports360AZ.com, said that he first approached Shannon and Doug about doing a documentary on their son in mid-May. We, as his family, believed that he could do whatever he wanted in life, said Doug. Like a modern-day Jim Thorpe or local Bo Jackson, Hoffpauir refused to stick to one sport: After graduating from Centennial High School, he excelled in baseball and football at Stanford University. Although we cannot yet accurately diagnose CTE in living people, a specialist can help treat the symptoms presenting the most challenges. Zach showed me the way when I got to college. RELATED STORY The Chelan County Natural Resource Department 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. #mc_embed_signup{background:#fff; clear:left; font:14px Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; }