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.. View all 23 comments. While his mental state never got down to where it was before, it was enough to keep him up night after night. Sign up for free today. 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. Reverend Zach Sasser, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Lafayette, will officiate. They played football together at Stanford. He had to medically retire due to concussions prior to Stanfords bowl game in 2016. Hoffpauir hit .295 with 11 home runs and 58 RBIs at Stanford and was a Pac-12 honorable mention pick in 2015. He made me better.. Joel Hoffpauir Obituary (2014) - Erath, LA - The Advocate All-District 38-4A boys soccer team - Chron.com UCLA stuns Stanford women in Pac-12 tournament semifinals TRANSACTIONS - Orlando Sentinel He did things the right way. Zach even joined his mother for a Mothers Day sermon last year when he shared about his mental health. Everything he wanted to accomplish, he did.. Coincidence? Zach took the job as a defensive backs coach at NCU. 418 likes. He sought advice for personal growth and mentored others. So I went to sleep, then I woke up and I just had this weird feeling. Hired in February to coach safeties on Ed McCaffrey's new staff, Hoffpauir coached in the Arizona high school ranks previously. Rare two-sport star Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26, By Tom Scanlon, Glendale Star Managing Editor. Maybe not. He was good enough to be drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks and played parts of two minor-league seasons. Glendale native Zach Hoffpauir, who played baseball and football at Stanford University after a brilliant athletic career at Centennial High School, died in his sleep May 15. After his suicide attempt, Zach began practicing gratitude in a more intentional way. It allowed him to focus on good things in his life, even if those things were having a family or air conditioning. Details are here, and thanks for your support. Living with suspected CTE can be difficult, but CTE is not a death sentence and it is important to maintain hope. He worked hard, boosted morale and was incredibly kind, said Casey Sawyer, marketing manager for the Portland, Oregon, suburb-located Hillsboro Hops. I never doubted for a second whether or not he had my back. He will be remembered for his love of God, family, and friends. 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. 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. He was an inspiration to all who have faced adversity. Zach Hoffpauir, the former Centennial High School football and baseball star who went on to play both sports at Stanford before being drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks, died of a drug overdose . Joyce Ann Hoffpauir | Obituaries | fbherald.com 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. Dont mess with his friends, dont mess with his family, said Lynn. He began writing whenever he felt anxious, listing whatever he felt grateful for in that moment to ground him. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. Former Arizona State football coach Todd Graham, who was heartbroken on 2011 National Signing Daywhen Zach announced he'd be going to Stanford and not ASU, also is in the documentary, along with Stanford football coach David Shaw and Hoffpauir's best friend from Stanford, Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey. Hoffpauir and McCaffrey were teammates at Stanford. He died on May 14, 2020. Faust's team accumulated 15 hours of footage to put into the 30-minute documentary that not only includes interviews from his parents Shannon and Doug, but insight from Ann McKee, a neurologist and director of Boston University's CTE Center on the results of the study on Hoffpauir's brain. Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today. I mightve just fallen on my knees and cried, Doug Hoffpauir said, holding back tears. That research will be valuable to future generations. Instead, Zach found his favorite part of football. We were celebrating his accomplishments not knowing that it caused a lot of pressure for him to perform.. He finally found his direction. You knew when (Zach) was coming down the hallway. (Photo by Mary Grace Grabill/Cronkite News). Ex-Stanford two-sport star Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26. Zach's family . "He was so excited to get back to Northern Colorado and try to influence lives beyond football. Zach Hoffpauir, 26, died in his sleep, according to a release from the athletic department. 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 football player Zach Hoffpauir was posthumously diagnosed with CTE at the age of 26, a physician who researches the disease said on Tuesday . We wont find out for over a year, Doug Hoffpauir told this news organization at the time. Zach Hoffpauir Death and Obituary News - What Happened to Zach It was a stripping of identity for me, said Zach about the retirement on the 2019 podcast. On a podcast hosted by former Arizona State football player Jordan Simone, Zach Hoffpaiur said he had suffered five or six concussions in his football career and had attempted suicide last year. Former Stanford two-sport star Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26 - ESPN.com Zach Hoffpauir's Legacy Enshrined Forever At Centennial He taught me how to not give a fuck about what people think about me, and to do it my way. The next play, the next at-bat, the next game, the next sport, the next season. But I never knew how much I needed every word. View profile . I didnt have to tell him. I have nothing else to give.. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir, right, and Christian McCaffrey, left, stand during a Stanford football practice. But I would fake it.". To view and sign the Family Guestbook, please visit www . Following his death, Hoffpauirs family donated his brain for concussion research. Obituary | Harley Ennis Hoffpauir | Johnson Funeral Home He would have been 82 on his birthday, August 20. Hope Hoffpauir Obituary (1957 - 2019) | Crowley, Louisiana - Echovita Family of Zach Hoffpauir will donate ex-Stanford player's brain to Originally published by The Associated Press on May 16, 2020. He made us all proud all the time. Hoffpauir was known as a hard hitter and suffered at least five documented concussions before medically retiring from football in 2016. And same for the people who went through it with him. Its a loss on so many levels.. 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. The doctors said he was just vulnerable, Doug Hoffpauir said. Ill never be the same, his mother, Shannon Hoffpauir, said. The family of Zach Hoffpauir is hoping some good can come out of tragedy. So will his legacy at Centennial. Id never seen him happier than in the last couple months.. Christian McCaffrey was his best friend. While Zachs official cause of death is an accidental overdose, Zachs mother, Shannon, feels that even this label is disingenuous. Its so sad.. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. You dont pass up Stanford, Shannon said. Following Zachs death, Doug was contacted about donating Zachs brain to the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank for CTE research. My cortisol was through the roof.. He was everything to everybody. Zach Hoffpauir making an impact for Stanford Cardinal baseball - ESPN And that would have been really hard for Zachary to endure, and to watch himself deteriorate.. Hoffpauir passed away on May 14, 2020, and was honored Friday by his alma mater during its game against Hamilton. Former Stanford player Zach Hoffpauir dies at age 26 - Yahoo! "For a report to come out, 'Just another athlete who died of a drug overdose,' that doesn't tell the story," Shannon says in the 30-minute documentary, "Zach Hoffpauir: The Real Story," that will first air on Sports360AZ.com at 5 p.m. Monday. January 28, 2016: OF Zach Hoffpauir retired. At Stanford, Hoffpauir played safety in football and was a star baseball player. Hoffpauir was 26 at the time of his passing this past spring, just a few . Ben Copeland, another of Hoffpauirs many friends, may have summed it up best: There will never be another Zach Hoffpauir and thats okay. Zach would come back to Arizona, medically retired from football. College Sports | He was the player who both took coaching and pushed his coaches to get better. They will let us know when they plan to have a service.. Support the Hotline: Receive three months of unlimited access for just 99 cents. At that time, we didnt bring freshman up (to varsity), but he probably couldve played on the varsity team as a freshman. Rare two-sport star Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26 Centennial remembers football standout Zach Hoffpauir - Arizona PBS More Videos District co-Most Valuable Players: Holden Butler, senior, Nederland and Angel Valencia, sophomore, Port Neches . Hoffpauir was with his father, Doug, in Arizona during the coronavirus pandemic. But he never did it from a place of superiority. Former Stanford Football, Baseball Player Zach Hoffpauir Dies at Age 26 Ex-Stanford two-sport star Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26 Zach moved in with Doug during this time. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) Former Stanford safety Zach Hoffpauir's brain is being donated to Boston University. And so, that was kinda hard, because these are the things that Zach loved, this is where he wanted to be.. All Access Digital offer for just 99 cents! Local Sports Things To Do Business eNewspaper Politics USA TODAY Obituaries . Zach gave up basketball to focus on football and baseball. They passed by the No. But Hoffpauir sustained several concussions during his career and displayed many of the classic CTE symptoms, including mood swings, depression and memory loss. He was good friend's with McCaffrey's son, Christian, a running back for the Carolina Panthers. FCS program announces death of 26-year-old assistant Every day Zach Hoffpauir gave his love and passion to his family, his teammates and the players he coached. He has roots in Colorado and Arizona and joined the Bay Area News Group in March 2019. It didn't kill former Stanford football player Zach Hoffpauir, who died . He was 26. Zach Hoffpauir: The Real Story | Documentary - YouTube XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? Former Stanford athlete Zach Hoffpauir's life to be celebrated He said his memory wasnt what it used to be, Doug Hoffpauir recalled. Zach Hoffpauir died on Thursday, May 14, 2020, at the age of 26. 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(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) Former Stanford safety Zach Hoffpauir died Thursday. (Courtesy of Morgan Williams), Zach Hoffpauir smiles while on the football field at Stanford. No one does. He had trouble sleeping as his mind raced at night. He couldnt fight this alone. 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. College and professional athletes, particularly football players, often get unfairly stereotyped. He had so much to look forward to.". He was a young, intelligent coach with limitless potential, wrote Ed McCaffery in a Facebook post after Zachs death. He had so much to look forward to. Zach Hoffpauir: The Real Story | Documentary - www.sports360az.com/ It changed his life, Doug Hoffpauir said. 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. 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. Zach Hoffpauir documentary shows his impact in life before his death Theres no way to specify when the disease started. Stanford's Hoffpauir had concussions; brain to be studied 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. Despite being an athletic supernova, Zach remained remarkably humble. 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. He was 26. The totality of the damage brought Zachs football career to an end. Out of the limelight, away from the studies and the pressures around him, Zach found his respite and could focus on keeping himself at peace and playing baseball. Injuries took a toll on him during his football career, causing him to retire. His role, while short, was about so much more than just Xs and Os. Somethings wrong with me and I dont know what it is, Zach said of his thoughts at the time. Zach could sit with the lowest of the low and knew how to show up for people. In a revealing documentary on Hoffpauirs life released this week by Sports360AZ, his mother Shannon said he got the pill from a friend. 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. All he ever wanted to do was make people proud, and he did, Hillary Hoffpauir said. Centennial remembers football standout Zach Hoffpauir, a life taken too soon. Hoffpauir was 26 years old. He made people want to be like him, be like God and be something more. 1 team. Hoffpauir suffered after his years of playing football. He battled Lyme disease, Valley fever, meningitis, depression, insomnia. All the things you try to instill in your kid, he was doing that. Never miss an issue. 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. Northern Colorado coach Zach Hoffpauir suffered concussions, battled Zach Hoffpauir - Football - Stanford University Athletics 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 . If someone needed a listening ear, advice or a shoulder to cry on, he was there and it wasnt a burden. He didn't play football at Stanford in 2015 and returned for his senior season in 2016. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. And we connect in weaknesses.. C hristian McCaffrey posted a photo of Hoffpauir on his Instagram account Friday which began, Yesterday Heaven gained an angel, and I lost one of my best friends in the world. He called Hoffpauir a true friend and great brother to anyone he knew. In 2016, he returned to Stanford to resume his football career at free safety. He detailed how in spring 2019 he attempted to take his life by overdosing on Xanax and Benadryl. He was our he was kinda like our heartbeat honestly, he was the personality of the team.. But as much of a light as he was for others, Zach Hoffpauir struggled to find his way out of his own darkness. Hoffpauir played safety and McCaffrey was a running back. On Saturday, May 30, 2020, hundreds gathered at Christs Church of the Valley in Peoria, Arizona to celebrate the life of Zach Hoffpauir. No cause of death for the former Stanford football and baseball player has been released. Find out how. 0. Feb 22, 2023. Today at No. Inside I was so miserable. Shannon doesn't want her son's death to go in vain as just another sad statistic. He had a shorter fuse and he snapped at friends and family more quickly. He did things the right way. Newly hired UNC assistant coach, former Stanford athlete dies at 26 Now all of a sudden, sports became a business, Doug said in the Sports360AZ documentary. All the concussions he got from playing shortened his career. MIAMI William Henry Trotter Bush, a wealthy investor and the brother and uncle of presidents, has died. More than 800 guests attended Bal Masque XLI, which carried out the theme . Zach Hoffpauir Dies at 26: Cause of Death Still Unknown - Heavy.com 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. 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. A 30-minute documentary on former Centennial football star Zach Hoffpauir, who died last year, will air Monday on Sports360az.com. Brain of Stanford standout Hoffpauir will be donated to noted CTE program Despite never having Zach as a student, she knew him well during his time there. He had depression, anxiety and insomnia. His mood changed. Ex-Stanford football, baseball standout dies at 26 They shared stories about Zach. The sad thing about it is that Zach loved this: People, fun times, this is who Zach was. He never lost an argument, or a dance battle, and he said what he meant and meant what he said. We talked about the little things in life and how to never take for granted a loved one. Hoffpauir didnt start tackle football until eighth grade and never played in the NFL. 128 to our projected No. Yesterday Heaven gained an angel, and I lost one of my best friends in the world. ", Yesterday Heaven gained an angel, and I lost one of my best friends in the world. 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. Were going to let them do the research.. Prior to high school, Zach played one year of eight-on-eight tackle football. To the general public, Zach Hoffpauir is just an athlete and coach who died too soon. At Stanford, his three-year totals were 11 homers, 58 RBIs and a career .295 batting average. He died of fentanyl toxicity. He excelled in both and became one of the best athletes in Centennial history. We were all lucky to know you for the time we did.. That one percocet, meant to be his release, turned out to be his end. Are you or someone you know struggling with lingering concussion symptoms or possible CTE? He hit .455 his senior year in high school in 2012 with five home runs and 22 RBIs. Football, baseball, basketball and track, it didnt matter. 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.. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family). 3,347 followers. 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. 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.. Zachs cousin, J.D. He was the friend who picked up the phone. He began working locally, working with high school football teams in the Peoria and Phoenix area, including his old stomping ground, Centennial. Add a Memory. 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. He was a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles, LA. A recently-hired University of Northern Colorado assistant football coach died Thursday. It has been 296 days since the Stanford football team opened fall camp to begin . Zach Hoffpauir (R) had 99 tackles in his time at Stanford. 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. The speakers who eulogized Zach had all coached him, played football or baseball with him, or grown up with him. Now we better understand why Zach struggled so much during the last few years of his life..