. He was excited about Colorado football and Northern Colorado. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is a degenerative brain disease found posthumously in the brains of football players. Instead, Zach found his favorite part of football. The pills had been laced with fentanyl, according to a report from the Maricopa County Medical Examiners office. 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. Two Zach Hoffpauir danced well and danced often. Zach treated his cousins like siblings and friends like family. He was this incredible athlete with this strong exterior, but he really was just a big softie, Zachs cousin, Morgan Williams, said. Zach Hoffpauir, Shannon's son, lived life to the fullest in his 26 years, seemingly never taking a day off from injecting joy or perspective into someone else's life. Doug Hoffpauir said the opportunity provided a new spark in Zachs life and thanked McCaffrey for taking a chance on his son. "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. Hoffpauir helped coach football at Anthem Boulder Creek last season with Beau Kitson, one of his close friends. Search by Name. 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. Life is not just about what you accomplish. "It was riddled with CTE lesions.". 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. Hoffpauir was known as a hard hitter and suffered at least five documented concussions before medically retiring from football in 2016. 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. Zach also set an important precedent by talking about his own struggles with mental health and encouraging others to seek help in their darkest hours. 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. He was a young, intelligent coach with limitless potential.. He hit .455 his senior year in high school in 2012 with five home runs and 22 RBIs. My dopamine levels were zero. 2B Jarrett Hoffpauir and P . New UNC head football coach Ed McCaffrey hired Zach in February to coach safeties. He challenged me, said Shaw. He sought advice for personal growth and mentored others. 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. 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. He was like a brother to our boys and recently found his calling as our safeties coach https://t.co/eNYbQB30fv. Everything he wanted to accomplish, he did.. Despite never having Zach as a student, she knew him well during his time there. He had a gregarious personality and we all loved him. If someone needed a listening ear, advice or a shoulder to cry on, he was there and it wasnt a burden. He taught me how to not give a fuck about what people think about me, and to do it my way. Low 42F. He also shared how he increased his emotional literacy and was able to name the emotions he was feeling rather than bury them. 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 day Zach Hoffpauir gave his love and passion to his family, his teammates and the players he coached. A medical examiner's database says that Hoffpauir, who was only 26 years old, died on May 14. A mass of Christi Zach Hoffpauir died on Thursday, May 14, 2020, at the age of 26. Hoffpauir is hoping to regain his starting position at . Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. The medical examiners report cited fentanyl toxicity as Hoffpauirs cause of death, according to the KPNX report, noting that it was ruled an accident. Zach loved sports and the opportunities they gave him, but he loved spending time with people a lot more. Zachs father, Doug, remembers waking up and knowing something was wrong. So I went to sleep, then I woke up and I just had this weird feeling. At Zachs memorial service, Stanford football coach David Shaw reflected on Zachs willingness to speak up to the Stanford coaching staff when he thought change was necessary. You can see the history of people like Zach, going slowly downhill. And that would have been really hard for Zachary to endure, and to watch himself deteriorate.. He also contracted Valley Fever and meningitis. 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. We also knew that this research could help others, and that is exactly what Zach would want.. All rights reserved. Instead, he used those to connect with others. The struggle didnt break him, it strengthened him, Burkholder said. He also starred as an outfielder on Stanfords baseball team and was drafted by the Diamondbacks in 2015. The news hit Carolina Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey and his family hard. Zach was the hardest hitter, most aggressive player I ever played against, said McCaffery at the memorial. Hillary Hoffpauir, Zachs 23-year-old sister, remembers how his football team got out of practice for her first junior varsity volleyball game as a freshman. He wanted to help the players succeed on the field, at home, in class and in the community. He hit .258 with three home runs and seven RBIs in 62 at-batsbetween rookie and Single-A ball. "People always thought I was the happiest guy, Hoffpauir said on Untold. People always tell me I was his biggest cheerleader, but he was really mine, Hillary Hoffpauir said. Zach Hoffpauir, left, and Hillary Hoffpauir pose for a siblings photo. 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. His death sent shockwaves into the Peoria, Stanford, and broader football community. The Sentinel staff takes a closer look at a new team daily, counting backward from No. Living at Kimberly Court can seem like living in the most convenient location in Boulder. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. His brain was later studied at the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank, where researchers diagnosed him with Stage 2 (of 4) CTE. Zach moved in with Doug during this time. On top of the depression and anxiety, he was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in 2019, which weakened his immune system. 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. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri) Former Stanford safety Zach Hoffpauir's brain is being donated to Boston University. 31 painted near the 31-year-line. In a practice his sophomore year, Taylor saw Zach take a hit so big his helmet rotated 90 degrees across his face. Although we cannot yet accurately diagnose CTE in living people, a specialist can help treat the symptoms presenting the most challenges. "He loved his head coach, Ed McCaffrey. You are just minutes from Greenwood & Myers Mortuary is the first choice for many families when they are seeking funeral services in Boulder. Interment will . It made so much sense. But he knew something was wrong.. Praying for the Hoffpauir family during this time.. Hoffpauirs career doesnt fit neatly into the model usually associated with players who display symptoms of CTE later in life. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? Injuries ultimately forced him to retire from playing either sport. All rights reserved. Athletically, Zachs freshman year in Palo Alto was not as prolific as his freshman year at Centennial. 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. Coach: David Shaw (42-11, entering . 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. I never doubted for a second whether or not he had my back. No matter where they came from, no matter their circumstances.. While Hoffpauir was a star athlete on the field, no o. He loved coaching those boys, Shannon Hoffpauir said. At Stanford, Hoffpauir played safety in football and was a star baseball player. But within a year, he began to feel the itch for football again. Hoffpauir's father, Doug Hoffpauir, confirmed his death to The Arizona Republic. His junior year, Hoffpauir earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention as a safety in football and as a right fielder in baseball. Zach brought a sparkle to the world that was unlike anything else. Christian McCaffrey was his best friend. He was 26 years old. Life without Zach Hoffpauir wont be easy for those who loved him. To those who knew him, he provided a light that shone in the darkest places and will continue to impact people even in his passing. He commented at the time on Hoffpauir's character and how he felt he would some day become a great coach. Thats the last thing he said. The family of Zach Hoffpauir is hoping some good can come out of tragedy. To the casual onlooker, it would have seemed Zach had life all figured out. No cause of death for the former Stanford football and baseball player has been released. He wanted to touch their lives and make sure they were whole on the inside and not just football players to be used.. The news broke last Thursday via an NBC affiliate in Phoenix. The family has asked for time to grieve, he said. Kenneth Manoj expects to graduate in December 2021 with a masters degree in sports journalism. That was his heart.. Shannon doesn't want her son's death to go in vain as just another sad statistic. Zach Hoffpauirs family leads friends on the field at halftime of the Centennial-Hamilton game. To the general public, Zach Hoffpauir is just an athlete and coach who died too soon. He was a natural at just about any sport he played.. Hoffpauir was with his father, Doug, in Arizona during the coronavirus pandemic. 6 Stanford over Oregon to reach Pac-12 semis 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. That speaking to Zach was like speaking to an adult.. 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. This is not a DEATH NOTICE / OBITUARY, this is a developing story. 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. Sign up for free today. They shared stories about Zach. 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. 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. To what degree was CTE involved in Zachs deteriorating emotional and psychological state?