He was 26. The doctors said he was just vulnerable, Doug Hoffpauir said. "He loved his head coach, Ed McCaffrey. He made a difference in the life of every person he met.. Zach also started coaching back at Centennial High. Thats the last thing he said. Former Stanford two-sport standout Zach Hoffpauir, an All-Pac-12 safety who also played minor league baseball for the Diamondbacks, passed away on Thursday in Arizona. "To a point it was exhausting talking to him. On top of the depression and anxiety, he was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in 2019, which weakened his immune system. I just want to feel normal., I walked through his darkest days right by his side, said Doug. Local Sports Things To Do Business eNewspaper Politics USA TODAY Obituaries Travel. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. In school, Zach was loved by many that knew him for his wit and his engaging personality. After he medically retired from football and left Stanford, Hoffpauir suffered from Valley fever, Meningitis and a form of Lyme disease. After his suicide attempt, Zach began practicing gratitude in a more intentional way. Zachs cousin, J.D. Coincidence? The father said at the time that the Hoffpauir family had donated Zachs brain to concussion research. Bill Melancon officiating. He had trouble sleeping as his mind raced at night. While Zachs official cause of death is an accidental overdose, Zachs mother, Shannon, feels that even this label is disingenuous. In 2016, he returned to Stanford to resume his football career at free safety. I love you and your family and I promise we'll make you proud. I just dont have the words to express the loss. But within a year, he began to feel the itch for football again. 6 Stanford over Oregon to reach Pac-12 semis The family will also hold a Celebration of Life at a later date. Reverend Zach Sasser, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Lafayette, will officiate. Local Sports Things To Do Business eNewspaper Politics USA TODAY Obituaries . If someone needed a listening ear, advice or a shoulder to cry on, he was there and it wasnt a burden. But this time, Zach entered a deep funk. College Sports | James "Huffy" Hoffpauir passed away suddenly on July 14, 2022, due to heart failure. 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 . To what degree was CTE involved in Zachs deteriorating emotional and psychological state? My sincere condolences to Zachs family and his many friends.. College Sports | He was named Beat Writer of the Year in 2013 by the Football Writers Association of America for his coverage of the Pac-12, won first place for feature writing in 2016 in the Associated Press Sports Editors writing contest and is a five-time APSE honoree. The medical examiner's report is not yet complete and does not yet list a cause of death. Hoffpauir and McCaffrey were teammates at Stanford. His mood changed. ", Yesterday Heaven gained an angel, and I lost one of my best friends in the world. 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. He was the uniter in his family and in his locker rooms. Copyright the Concussion Legacy Foundation. The totality of the damage brought Zachs football career to an end. 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. If that day marks the official start to an athlete's season then Zach Hoffpauir has been in season for 296 days. "People always thought I was the happiest guy, Hoffpauir said on Untold. This is not a DEATH NOTICE / OBITUARY, this is a developing story. 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. January 28, 2016: OF Zach Hoffpauir retired. They passed by the No. Hoffpauirs career doesnt fit neatly into the model usually associated with players who display symptoms of CTE later in life. (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. "He was so excited to get back to Northern Colorado and try to influence lives beyond football. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir, right, and Christian McCaffrey, left, stand during a Stanford football practice. All the things you try to instill in your kid, he was doing that. *** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716. After eighth grade, he decided he wanted to attend public school and went to Peorias Centennial High School. ", McCaffrey family hit hard by Hoffpauir's death, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? Athletically, Zachs freshman year in Palo Alto was not as prolific as his freshman year at Centennial. Itll be hard, but his life on Earth wasnt easy, either, and he did more good for others than many ever will. They will let us know when they plan to have a service.. He told Shaw how he had identified the most important quality in any great coach was not discipline, communication, or any tactical trait. July 3, 2015: OF Zach Hoffpauir assigned to Hillsboro Hops from . Christian McCaffrey was his best friend. 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. Today at No. Sympathy Ideas. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative brain disease found posthumously in the brains of football players. It was a tragedy, and a shock to everybody involved. Its hard to find people who when youre around them and theyre truly present, said Thorne. Search by Name. No cause of death for the former Stanford football and baseball player has been released. He always said 'hashtag CTE'.". Hired in February to coach safeties on Ed McCaffrey's new staff, Hoffpauir coached in the Arizona high school ranks previously. Zach Hoffpauir, one of the greatest athletes in Arizona high school history, died Thursday morning. As he did with all things, Zach put his all into every hit. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. 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. Shannon doesn't want her son's death to go in vain as just another sad statistic. 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. At the Centennial event, Doug refused to let the pain of his familys loss and the communitys loss bring down this night of celebration. 197,654 likes. My dopamine levels were zero. The Moving can be an exciting experience. Clear to partly cloudy. 17 UCLA, My AP WBB ballot: Stanford-UCLA starts Cardinals huge week. 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. Mary Grace Grabill expects to graduate in May 2023 with a bachelors degree in journalism and a minor in film production. One night of sleep was all he wanted. HIGH SCHOOL. Hoffpauir was with his father in . Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. It was May 14, 2020. He was the player who both took coaching and pushed his coaches to get better. Then, COVID came. 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 In a revealing documentary on Hoffpauirs life released this week by Sports360AZ, his mother Shannon said he got the pill from a friend. He was a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles, LA. 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. Zach Hoffpauir, left, and Hillary Hoffpauir pose for a siblings photo. He was 26. Medical examiners will perform an autopsy on his body, and the family donated his brain to Boston University for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) research. The Coyotes went 11-2, losing to Scottsdale Chaparral 31-30 in the state semifinals. The family donated his brain to Boston University's Chronic Traumatic EncephalopathyCenter that studies long-term consequences of repetitive head trauma. Come (his) 40s, he probably would have had either Alzheimers, Lou Gerhigs disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) or Parkinsons, Shannon said, tears in her eyes. His heart ached to care for them. My testosterone levels were almost gone. He also shared how he increased his emotional literacy and was able to name the emotions he was feeling rather than bury them. He was Do tax exemptions apply to costs like burial, cremation and floral arrangements? 2) Emotional problems, including poor decision-making, impulsiveness and the tendency to lash out. 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. We support patients and families through the CLF HelpLine, providing personalized help to those struggling with the outcomes of brain injury. Talented young athletes often dominate several sports in elementary school and even high school. Somethings wrong with me and I dont know what it is, Zach said of his thoughts at the time. UCLA stuns Stanford women in Pac-12 tournament semifinals I cant take this anymore. Surviving the attempt led Zach to realize he needed help. David Fernandez, Centennial High Schools school resource officer from the Peoria Police Department, tweeted a fond memory: A few years ago, Zach Hoffpauir was back at Centennial mentoringI was standing nearby watching when a young student walked up and said, Hey, whos that?, I replied, Thats who you want to grow up to be.. Find Fishing Supplies listings in San Francisco, CALIFORNIA. He did things the right way. When Todd Graham had his first Signing Day at Arizona State in February 2012, he felt maybe worse about missing out on Hoffpauir to Stanford than losing out on any other recruit. Because if he had to, he would challenge you and he would step up and say, This is not right.. He was good enough to be drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks and played parts of two minor-league seasons. Former Peoria Centennial football/baseball star Zach Hoffpauir, one of the greatest athletes in Arizona high school history, died Thursday morning, his father Doug told The Arizona Republic. The results provided closure, said Doug. 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. He had 11 rushing touchdowns and 59 tackles, eight for losses, and six interceptions, making The Arizona Republic's All-Arizona team. 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. Zach Hoffpauirs legacy undoubtedly lives on in the example he set for how to treat others. Christian McCaffrey, a running back for the Carolina Panthers, paid tribute . 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. We talked about the little things in life and how to never take for granted a loved one. We are more similar than we are different, said Zach. May 22, 2020. Normally, Doug says Zach would be able to rebound quickly from things. College and professional athletes, particularly football players, often get unfairly stereotyped. Zach Hoffpauir, a former football and baseball player at Stanford, died in May of an accidental drug overdose, according to a reportciting county medical examiner records in his native Arizona. but it can also be stressful. Its always surprising when you see multiple lesions in the brain of someone so young, McKee said. Stanford women: Brink, Jones power No. Former Centennial High School standout, D-backs draftee Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26 Zach Hoffpauir played safety at Stanford and was a baseball player, drafted by the D-backs in 2015. 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. Doug Hoffpauir did not provide a cause of death. Zachs father, Doug, remembers waking up and knowing something was wrong. Doug Hoffpauir said Dubose called him and said Zach was an angel and he saved (his) life.. The speakers who eulogized Zach had all coached him, played football or baseball with him, or grown up with him. 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. It wouldve been great to see him here, he said. His role, while short, was about so much more than just Xs and Os. Cavness, expressed the same feeling in his eulogy. All rights reserved. (He) loved his family so much and would do anything for the people he cared about. 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. 35: Stanford. He was 79. August 25, 2021 8:12 am PT. Whatever Zach Hoffpauir touched, he excelled in. Rare two-sport star Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26. Mostly he loved sharing his life and experiences with our players, who he was born to mentor. He had so much to look forward to. He hit .455 his senior year in high school in 2012 with five home runs and 22 RBIs. All rights reserved. You dont pass up Stanford, Shannon said. In the documentary, Hoffpauirs mother described a world in which her son lived into middle age. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.comor 602-316-8827. Zach Hoffpauir Age. Zach Hoffpauir, a former two-sport athlete at Stanford University, died Thursday at the age of 26. 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. When Zach took that step up from high school athletics to college athletics, Zach began to feel as if he was losing his passion for the game, his father said. Zach moved in with Doug during this time. At Stanford, his three-year totals were 11 homers, 58 RBIs and a career .295 batting average. He was the friend who picked up the phone. Centennial coach Richard Taylor always regarded Hoffpair as one of his favorite players to coach because of the way he impacted the team. His father said Zach would have loved the celebration. 0. He then returned to Palo Alto for a fifth-year senior season in 2016. Zach didnt shy away from showing his imperfections and struggles. Just wanted to remind all the FCA campers since I couldn't come defend my title . "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.". (Photo by Mary Grace Grabill/Cronkite News), That morning (May 13) I went to go fishing, said Doug in a Sports360AZ documentary, Zach Hoffpauir: The Real Story. I got up at 3, we talk a little bit. They passed by the No. The pathology of the disease follows four stages, from I (mild) to IV (severe). 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. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.comor 602-316-8827.