zach hoffpauir obituary zach hoffpauir obituary

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 Ryan SimonGUEYDAN - It's with great sadness and heavy hearts that the family of Zach Ryan Simon announces his passing from this life on November 17, 2012. He always said 'hashtag CTE'.". One year after the death of his son, Doug Hoffpauir heard from the brain doctors at Boston University. Low 42F. He will be remembered for his love of God, family, and friends. My testosterone levels were almost gone. Medical examiners will perform an autopsy on his body, and the family donated his brain to Boston University for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) research. Christian McCaffrey was his best friend. 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. And that would have been really hard for Zachary to endure, and to watch himself deteriorate.. It was a tragedy, and a shock to everybody involved. Zach loved sports and the opportunities they gave him, but he loved spending time with people a lot more. (Photo by Mary Grace Grabill/Cronkite News). The Mystic Krewe of Apollo Baton Rouge celebrated its 41st annual ball Jan. 21 at the Raising Cane's River Center. 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. The mini explosions were always followed by apologies. In four seasons at Stanford, Zach amassed 102 total tackles. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative brain disease found posthumously in the brains of football players. On Untold, Zach shared how deep his emotional pain went. Zach also began seeing mental health professionals. 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.. He was 26. JASON HOFFPAUIR Cedar Rapids Jason Clyde Hoffpauir, 38, of Cedar Rapids, died Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015, at Mercy Medical Center. He had so much to look forward to.". Football, baseball, basketball and track, it didnt matter. Zach's family . The medical examiners report cited fentanyl toxicity as Hoffpauirs cause of death, according to the KPNX report, noting that it was ruled an accident. Hope Hoffpauir Obituary. Zachs cousin, J.D. Zach could light up a room like it was nothing, and had this amazing, unique personality. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. For a report to come out, Just another athlete who died of a drug overdose, Shannon said. To the casual onlooker, it would have seemed Zach had life all figured out. If someone needed a listening ear, advice or a shoulder to cry on, he was there and it wasnt a burden. He was good friend's with McCaffrey's son, Christian, a running back for the Carolina Panthers. The struggle didnt break him, it strengthened him, Burkholder said. We recommend moving this block and the preceding CSS link to the HEAD of your HTML file. He made a difference in the life of every person he met.. The pathology of the disease follows four stages, from I (mild) to IV (severe). Learn more about what we do and how to find our content on our broadcast, digital and social media platforms. Zach even joined his mother for a Mothers Day sermon last year when he shared about his mental health. He had 11 rushing touchdowns and 59 tackles, eight for losses, and six interceptions, making The Arizona Republic's All-Arizona team. Inside I was so miserable. 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. I cant take this anymore. But Im sure, you know, Zachs looking down on us and know(s) that hes been honored.. 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. Zach decided to attend Stanford University, where he would continue football and baseball. Brink, Jump lead No. We wont find out for over a year, Doug Hoffpauir told this news organization at the time. Local Sports Things To Do Business eNewspaper Politics USA TODAY Obituaries Travel. 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. His loved ones wish they could remind him of that one more time. And same for the people who went through it with him. The speakers who eulogized Zach had all coached him, played football or baseball with him, or grown up with him. Cognitive deterioration is the hallmark of CTE, and you rarely see it in 20- and 30-year-olds.. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. "He's someone every time I call him, he was totally present," McCaffrey says in the anniversary dinner speech that is in the documentary. 2023 www.azcentral.com. Hoffpauir was a standout safety who made All-Pac-12 honorable mention in 2014. But as much of a light as he was for others, Zach Hoffpauir struggled to find his way out of his own darkness. In a game against Hamilton, the Huskies retired Hoffpauir's number 31 jersey in an emotional ceremony. At the time of his death, he was staying with his father in Arizona during the coronavirus pandemic. 2023 Cronkite News. Low 42F. Find out how your news organization can use Cronkite News content. Rare two-sport star Zach Hoffpauir dies at 26, By Tom Scanlon, Glendale Star Managing Editor. 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. Then, COVID came. "It was riddled with CTE lesions.". A mass of Christi By Tom Scanlon, Glendale Star Managing Editor. Zach was the hardest hitter, most aggressive player I ever played against, said McCaffery at the memorial. Coincidence? 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. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? 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. That was his heart.. But Hoffpauir sustained several concussions during his career and displayed many of the classic CTE symptoms, including mood swings, depression and memory loss. He stood for caring for others, said Cavness. They played football together at Stanford. He taught me how to not give a fuck about what people think about me, and to do it my way. Hoffpauir and McCaffrey were teammates at Stanford. Doug Hoffpauir wants the world to know that even now, 15 months later, with the CTE diagnosis confirmed, he isnt mad. July 3, 2015: OF Zach Hoffpauir assigned to Hillsboro Hops from . 1 team. I'd talk to him for three hours. He rooted for the underdogs. You dont pass up Stanford, Shannon said. 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. I just want to feel normal., I walked through his darkest days right by his side, said Doug. 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. Zach Hoffpauir, who died at 26 and was perhaps the greatest football player to come out of Centennial, will have his No. It was the first time in a long time that he felt purpose. I am devastated by the loss of Zach Hoffpauir, a friend to me and my family since his playing days with Christian at Stanford. Praying for the Hoffpauir family during this time.. Find out how. Today at No. You can see the history of people like Zach, going slowly downhill. Watch over us. BRAVES -- Purchased contracts of P Zach Schreiber from Triple-A Richmond, P Charlie Morton from Double-A Mississippi and RHP Jairo Cuevas from Single-A Myrtle Beach. To what degree was CTE involved in Zachs deteriorating emotional and psychological state? *** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716. He was 79. zachhoff10. 418 likes. My dopamine levels were zero. Dolores was born December 26, 1932 in Shreveport and grew up in Leesville. Zach Hoffpauir, 26, died in his sleep, according to a release from the athletic department. His junior year, Hoffpauir earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention as a safety in football and as a right fielder in baseball. He quickly made a name for himself on the Centennial freshman football team. I could only speculate that started four or five years earlier.. ", McCaffrey family hit hard by Hoffpauir's death, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? Two weeks earlier, Hoffpauir passed away from an accidental overdose at age 26. He made me better.. He said his memory wasnt what it used to be, Doug Hoffpauir recalled. Come (his) 40s, he probably would have had either Alzheimers, Lou Gerhigs disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) or Parkinsons, Shannon said, tears in her eyes. He was an inspiration to all who have faced adversity. Disputed loan at center of Commanders probe, More than 25 years experience covering NFL, college football and NASCAR. The pressure was. My cortisol was through the roof.. In 2016, he returned to Stanford to resume his football career at free safety. Zach struggled with severe depression and anxiety and was eventually diagnosed with Lyme disease. He had depression, anxiety and insomnia. All the things you try to instill in your kid, he was doing that. Submit your request today and a dedicated member of the Concussion Legacy Foundation team will be happy to assist you. The night of May 14, 2020, Zach Hoffpauir and Shaw spoke on the phone for several hours. I would tell him to breathe deep with Jesus and I would see him soon.. They shared stories about Zach. 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. 31, now painted in the team's red and white above the 31-yard line, that will . Months later, Brain Bank researchers informed the Hoffpauirs that Zach had Stage 2 (of 4) CTE. 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. 1) Cognitive impairment, such as memory loss and difficulty with problem solving. No mortal can make the statement that CTE is the primary issue if youre just dealing with emotional problems, because those are so common in society, Cantu said. He could walk into a room and light up the room., Matt Rodriguez, another teammate, said, He made plays, he was always talking, he was always clowning, roasting everybody, no one talked trash better, no one was more confident than Zach. He challenged me, said Shaw. He was like a brother to our boys and recently found his calling as our safeties coach https://t.co/eNYbQB30fv. He also shared how he increased his emotional literacy and was able to name the emotions he was feeling rather than bury them. Zach gave up basketball to focus on football and baseball. A recently-hired University of Northern Colorado assistant football coach died Thursday. Zach showed me the way when I got to college. He began working locally, working with high school football teams in the Peoria and Phoenix area, including his old stomping ground, Centennial. (Courtesy of Morgan Williams), Zach Hoffpauir smiles while on the football field at Stanford. Zach took the job as a defensive backs coach at NCU. 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. Sympathy Ideas. Peter Jelovic, Centennial Highs athletic director, said the school was not yet planning a memorial. He had trouble sleeping as his mind raced at night. After the attempt, he began finding healing through a combination of medication, therapy, and self-reflection. This narrowed his choice to two colleges: Arizona State and Stanford. No cause of death for the former Stanford football and baseball player has been released. Last Thursday morning, Zach Hoffpauir passed away at the age of 26. 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. The university . Christian McCaffrey, a running back for the Carolina Panthers, paid tribute . He was 26 years old. It was compassion, Zach said. Hoffpauir's parents, Doug and Shannon, were recognized Zach had been staying with his father in the Valley during the coronavirus pandemic shutdown. The legacy of Zach Hoffpauir lives on forever at Centennial high school. He played primarily on special teams in football and struggled mightily in baseball. Once college was over, Zach struggled with the lack of a next.. People always tell me I was his biggest cheerleader, but he was really mine, Hillary Hoffpauir said. Following tragedies, Central High School finds comfort in its football community. The family of Zach Hoffpauir is hoping some good can come out of tragedy. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. Their diagnosis brought immense clarity and a morsel of relief. Hoffpauir was known as a hard hitter and suffered at least five documented concussions before medically retiring from football in 2016. Zach Hoffpauir Death. That he didnt have enough love for himself.. It wouldve been great to see him here, he said. Now we better understand why Zach struggled so much during the last few years of his life.. 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.. 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. Gratitude became an important part of Zachs healing process. Grief Support. August 25, 2021 8:12 am PT. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert. 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. "Hardbecause he loved coaching," Doug Hoffpauir said Thursday night in a text to The Arizona Republic. Now all of a sudden, sports became a business, Doug said in the Sports360AZ documentary. Bill Melancon officiating. He excelled in both and became one of the best athletes in Centennial history. He holds a MA from Arizona State's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Zach could sit with the lowest of the low and knew how to show up for people. He was a true friend and a great brother to anyone he knew. He made his return to baseball in 2018, once more splitting time between Montana and Oregon. Hes like my heartbeat.. He hit .258 with three home runs and seven RBIs in 62 at-batsbetween rookie and Single-A ball. The family donated his brain to Boston University's Chronic Traumatic EncephalopathyCenter that studies long-term consequences of repetitive head trauma. The Coyotes went 11-2, losing to Scottsdale Chaparral 31-30 in the state semifinals. (Courtesy of the Hoffpauir family), Zach Hoffpauir holds up a small sign that reads, "Look who's turning 25," on his birthday. He was the player who both took coaching and pushed his coaches to get better. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. He died of fentanyl toxicity. Hoffpauir was known as a hard hitter and suffered at least five documented concussions before medically retiring from football in 2016. Zach Hoffpauirs family leads friends on the field at halftime of the Centennial-Hamilton game. 31 painted near the 31-year-line. College Sports | We, as his family, believed that he could do whatever he wanted in life, said Doug. Yesterday Heaven gained an angel, and I lost one of my best friends in the world. Zach Hoffpauir died on Thursday, May 14, 2020, at the age of 26. They cheered for her the entire match. The totality of the damage brought Zachs football career to an end. I never doubted for a second whether or not he had my back. That doesnt tell the story,, Friends remembered Hoffpauir for his energy and personality. As he did with all things, Zach put his all into every hit. This eventually led him to getting a coaching job with the University of Northern Colorado, coaching the safeties. "He loved his head coach, Ed McCaffrey. 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. But even the most gifted focus on just one sport in high school. Reverend Zach Sasser, Pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Lafayette, will officiate. 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. Every time Centennial players step on the field, they will walk by the No. Doug said the university reached out the day after news broke about his son's death to . 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.. Hoffpauir recently was hired by Northern Colorado football coach Ed McCaffrey to be his defensive backs coach. In a revealing documentary on Hoffpauirs life released this week by Sports360AZ, his mother Shannon said he got the pill from a friend. 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. But Hoffpauirs brain was not like that of a normal 20-something. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. Zachs physical and mental health were failing him. College Sports | If Id have known the extent of his outlay beyond sports, I dont know if I wouldve said anything. The next play, the next at-bat, the next game, the next sport, the next season. He was a cowboy and a coach, a fisherman and a dancer. He told people about his faith, allowed people to confide in him and provided happiness for others. 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. I had a teacher come up and tell me once, said Taylor. He left school in 2015 after being selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 22nd round of the MLB draft. 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Because if he had to, he would challenge you and he would step up and say, This is not right.. The neurologist who diagnosed Zach with Lyme Disease prescribed him medication to help him stay balanced. Their brains should be pristine. 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. I was able to see, even in his brokenness, he was such an influence on people, Shannon Hoffpauir said. "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.". I dont want people to think, This could happen to your kid. I mean, it could happen. He was chosen by The Arizona Republic as the greatest football player in Centennial's rich history. The Moving can be an exciting experience. He would have been 82 on his birthday, August 20. But he knew something was wrong.. Hoffpauir was a safety for four seasons on the Cardinal football team, winning three Pac-12 titles and two Rose Bowls. We support patients and families through the CLF HelpLine, providing personalized help to those struggling with the outcomes of brain injury. He began writing whenever he felt anxious, listing whatever he felt grateful for in that moment to ground him. Yep, thats 99 cents for 90 days, with the option to cancel anytime. 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Former Stanford multi-sport start Zach Hoffpauir died on Thursday morning. Grabill has interned as a photographer with McGaw YMCA Camp Echo and Phoenix Magazine. 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. With Zach preparing for his first season at NCU, he spoke with Shaw about the craft. Zach also loved dancing, whether it was in the car, in the Hillsboro Hops baseball clubhouse the minor league team for which he played briefly on the field or at a concert. 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. 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. He was just a light, said Tyler Thorne, Zachs Stanford baseball teammate, at his memorial service. Zach Hoffpauir did not wake up the next morning. He told Shaw how he had identified the most important quality in any great coach was not discipline, communication, or any tactical trait. 1 of 2 Zach Hoffpauir (10) participates in a scrimmage with Stanford Cardinal teammates in Palo Alto, Calif. on Saturday, April 2, 2016. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? Zach Hoffpauir (R) had 99 tackles in his time at Stanford. After the attempt on his life, Zach slowly found his footing with a combination of medication, therapy, and self-reflection. Our prayers are with the Hoffpauir family, though Zach, you are always with us.. After the Arizona Diamondbacks selected him in the 22nd round of the 2015 MLB Draft, Hoffpauir took a year off from football to spend a season playing minor league baseball. At Centennial, Zach was a multi-sport athlete. Doug Hoffpauir, Zach's father, told Richard Obert of the Arizona Republic in a text message about . He texted previous coaches, like Shaw, for advice on how to be a good football coach and honorable leader. Talented young athletes often dominate several sports in elementary school and even high school. We also knew that this research could help others, and that is exactly what Zach would want.. Doug Hoffpauir said in the days after his sons death that he was certain Zach did not die by suicide. 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.