All the things you try to instill in your kid, he was doing that. To the casual onlooker, it would have seemed Zach had life all figured out. McCaffery, a running back drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2017, was told about Zachs condition and acted without hesitation. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. He hit .455 his senior year in high school in 2012 with five home runs and 22 RBIs. Hes like my heartbeat.. Former Stanford player Zach Hoffpauir dies at age 26 - Yahoo! A medical examiner's database says that Hoffpauir, who was only 26 years old, died on May 14. He was 26. And that would have been really hard for Zachary to endure, and to watch himself deteriorate.. Medical examiners will perform an autopsy on his body, and the family donated his brain to Boston University for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) research. It wouldve been great to see him here, he said. Zach was 26 years old. Try our free interactive obituary template. To what degree was CTE involved in Zachs deteriorating emotional and psychological state? McCaffrey shared similar sentiments, noting Zachs unique passion for leading the players and honesty about his own experiences. zachhoff10. 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). But this time, Zach entered a deep funk. Stanford DB Zach Hoffpauir diagnosed with same CTE level as USC's 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. The pressure was. Stanford women: Brink, Jones power No. This beautiful, talented, incredibly intelligent young man dying at 26 with the ravages of this disease in his brain.. Zach also started coaching back at Centennial High. In the late stages of last week, it was revealed that former Stanford Cardinal multi-sport athlete Zach Hoffpauir, who passed away in May, had died due to an accidental overdose, according to a report citing the county medical examiner in his native Arizona.. Learn more about what we do and how to find our content on our broadcast, digital and social media platforms. He was chosen by The Arizona Republic as the greatest football player in Centennial's rich history. Zach Hoffpauir in his own words - YouTube Were going to let them do the research.. At Stanford, Zach thrived on the football and baseball fields. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) Former Stanford safety Zach Hoffpauir's brain is being donated to Boston University. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir, center, smiles for a photo with his mother, Shannon, right, and sister Hillary. I came back somewhere around 11:30, I was really tired and his door was still shut. 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. (Courtesy of Shannon Hoffpauir), Zach Hoffpauir, left, poses for a photo with his cousin, Morgan Williams, at the family's 2019 Christmas Celebration. He was good friend's with McCaffrey's son, Christian, a running back for the Carolina Panthers. The family will also hold a Celebration of Life at a later date. The university . He couldnt fight this alone. This narrowed his choice to two colleges: Arizona State and Stanford. Low 42F. That doesnt tell the story,, Friends remembered Hoffpauir for his energy and personality. The Coyotes went 11-2, losing to Scottsdale Chaparral 31-30 in the state semifinals. All the concussions he got from playing shortened his career. Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 646th pick of the 22nd round, Zach split time between Missoula, Montana, and Hillsboro, Oregon. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images. Visitation will be observed on Wednesday, January 6, 2016 from 11:00 am until the time of services, at First Presbyterian Church, 1130 Johnston Street in Lafayette. He was a young, intelligent coach with limitless potential.. ", Yesterday Heaven gained an angel, and I lost one of my best friends in the world. He sought advice for personal growth and mentored others. 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. More Videos Zach decided to attend Stanford University, where he would continue football and baseball. In school, Zach was loved by many that knew him for his wit and his engaging personality. Theres no way to specify when the disease started. he calls my dad and says Im going to fly him out here, hes going to see Dr. Prusmack whos the chief neurosurgeon for the Denver Broncos. I sit down with him for 15 minutes and he tells me I have Lyme Disease. Doug said the university reached out the day after news broke about his son's death to . 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. ", McCaffrey family hit hard by Hoffpauir's death, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative brain disease found posthumously in the brains of football players. He said his memory wasnt what it used to be, Doug Hoffpauir recalled. 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. FCS program announces death of 26-year-old assistant 2023 Cronkite News. People sometimes assume they are violent, superficial and emotionally immature. His father confirmed the death to the Arizona Republic but did not provide a cause. . 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. He didn't play football at Stanford in 2015 and returned for his senior season in 2016. Are you or someone you know struggling with lingering concussion symptoms or possible CTE? He had a shorter fuse and he snapped at friends and family more quickly. I didnt coach him as a freshman, but I most certainly knew about him, cause he was the talk (of the town), Centennial football coach Richard Taylor said. He returned and won back his starting position at free safety, and had a strong start to the season before two concussions in back-to-back games ended his season and ultimately, his football career. The mini explosions were always followed by apologies. Doug Hoffpauir said the opportunity provided a new spark in Zachs life and thanked McCaffrey for taking a chance on his son. 2023 Cronkite News. College Sports | 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. His death sent shockwaves into the Peoria, Stanford, and broader football community. Every day Zach Hoffpauir gave his love and passion to his family, his teammates and the players he coached. Praying for the Hoffpauir family during this time.. When the stories came out in mid-May of last year, the glaring headlines -- another athlete who died of a drug overdose -- Shannon Hoffpauir knew there was more to the story. Zach Hoffpauir, 26, died in his sleep, according to a release from the athletic department. 418 likes. The diagnosis helps explain why Zachs mood and behavior changed so much once he left college. He was never one of the so-called Pee Wee bobbleheads, where the young brain sits atop an undeveloped neck and absorbs hundred, if not thousands of hits. 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. Zach Hoffpauir Dies at 26: Cause of Death Still Unknown - Heavy.com The neurologist who diagnosed Zach with Lyme Disease prescribed him medication to help him stay balanced. He wanted to touch their lives and make sure they were whole on the inside and not just football players to be used.. 3 Cardinal past No. He was 26. He always said hashtag CTE.. He made me better.. Cavness, expressed the same feeling in his eulogy. Zach Hoffpauir documentary shows his big impact on lives - MSN Months later, Brain Bank researchers informed the Hoffpauirs that Zach had Stage 2 (of 4) CTE. Two weeks earlier, Hoffpauir passed away from an accidental overdose at age 26. The disease carries three classic features the CTE triad according to Dr. Robert Cantu of the Concussion Legacy Foundation. Zach grew up in Peoria, Arizona receiving a private, Christian education. In the documentary, Hoffpauirs mother described a world in which her son lived into middle age. 6 Stanford over Oregon to reach Pac-12 semis She was born October 30, 1944, in Houston to Virble and Hilda Nerren. His loved ones wish they could remind him of that one more time. In four seasons at Stanford, Zach amassed 102 total tackles. Doug remembers his son saying to him that, there is something wrong with my head. The head coach was Ed McCaffrey, the father of former Stanford star Christian McCaffrey one of Hoffpauirs best friends. He was 26. 2023 www.azcentral.com. Last Thursday morning, Zach Hoffpauir passed away at the age of 26. 3 Cardinal past No. Zach was the hardest hitter, most aggressive player I ever played against, said McCaffery at the memorial. No one does. "He had quite a number of what we call lesions in the brain," McKee says in the documentary. Joyce Ann Hoffpauir | Obituaries | fbherald.com The brain disease is linked to repeated head trauma in football. Hoffpauir was 26 when he died this spring, just months after being named a defensive backs coach at Northern Colorado under new hire Ed McCaffrey, the father of former Cardinal teammate and close friend Christian McCaffrey, who now plays for the NFLs Carolina Panthers. No cause of death for the former Stanford football and baseball player has been released. Zachs heart was with ASU, Shannon said in the documentary, But pressure from his family, his friends, and himself, influenced Zach into choosing Stanford. Zach Hoffpauir, a former Peoria Centennial and Stanford football safety, died last Thursday at the age of 26. Hoffpauirs freshman slump was a blip in an otherwise decorated career in Palo Alto. I'll cherish all the memories we had bro. "He was so excited to get back to Northern Colorado and try to influence lives beyond football," his father told the Arizona Republic. Zach Hoffpauir Age. College and professional athletes, particularly football players, often get unfairly stereotyped. Hoffpauir left Stanford in 2015 after being taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 22nd round of the MLB draft and played a minor league season that summer. Zachs funeral, appropriately physically distant of course, is planned for Saturday, May 30. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative brain disease found posthumously in the brains of football players. Doug Hoffpauir did not provide a cause of death. Just to so many people, so many people he would have reached and touched in the future. She went on to play volleyball at Lee University in Tennessee. They played football together at Stanford. The Sentinel staff takes a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. David Shaw, who coached Hoffpauir at Stanford, was philosophical about the loss. 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 detailed how in spring 2019 he attempted to take his life by overdosing on Xanax and Benadryl. 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. Injuries ultimately forced him to retire from playing either sport. That one percocet, meant to be his release, turned out to be his end. That he didnt have enough love for himself.. Rare two-sport star Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26, By Tom Scanlon, Glendale Star Managing Editor. Instead, he used those to connect with others. (He) loved his family so much and would do anything for the people he cared about. His brain was later studied at the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, where researchers diagnosed him with Stage 2 (of 4) CTE. Share Obituary. Cognitive deterioration is the hallmark of CTE, and you rarely see it in 20- and 30-year-olds.. PEORIA It was a moment of celebration but also melancholy as Doug and Shannon Hoffpauir led a crowd to the middle of the Centennial High School football field. At his memorial, Zachs pastor said, Everything Zach did was loud and it was passionate.. Valley sports star Zach Hoffpauir died of drug overdose, report finds Zach had been staying with his father in the Valley during the coronavirus pandemic shutdown. Hoffpauir hit .295 with 11 home runs and 58 RBIs at Stanford and was a Pac-12 honorable mention pick in 2015. Jason Hoffpauir | The Gazette He began working locally, working with high school football teams in the Peoria and Phoenix area, including his old stomping ground, Centennial. Hoffpauir was a two-sport athlete at Stanford: a defensive back who was named honorable-mention all-conference and an outfielder selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 22nd round of the 2015 MLB draft. He has roots in Colorado and Arizona and joined the Bay Area News Group in March 2019. UNC football honors former assistant coach Zach Hoffpauir, family Hoffpauir and McCaffrey were teammates at Stanford. I have nothing else to give.. Recently, it was reported that Hoffpauir had CTE, and was diagnosed with the same level of CTE that former USC Trojans and San . 17 UCLA, My AP WBB ballot: Stanford-UCLA starts Cardinals huge week. Hoffpauir was a multi-sport athlete at Centennial High School and excelled at a variety of sports, including football and basketball. 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. To view and sign the Family Guestbook, please visit www . 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.. 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. Former Stanford player Zach Hoffpauir, who died accidentally, diagnosed One year after the death of his son, Doug Hoffpauir heard from the brain doctors at Boston University. He texted previous coaches, like Shaw, for advice on how to be a good football coach and honorable leader. Doug could tell he was cognizant of and upset by his mood changes. He was a natural at just about any sport he played.. He told Shaw how he had identified the most important quality in any great coach was not discipline, communication, or any tactical trait. Instead, Zach found his favorite part of football. If Id have known the extent of his outlay beyond sports, I dont know if I wouldve said anything. 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. Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. 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. I believe life is about how you influence others, Shaw tweeted. Hoffpauir, who was from Glendale, Arizona, was close friends with McCaffreys son, Christian, whos now an All-Pro running back for the Carolina Panthers, when they both attended Stanford. "It's humbling to have been trusted by his family to share his story with those who never got to know the real Zach Hoffpauir.".