Sad News: Jack Hoffman Dies of Brain Cancer at 19

On April 6, 2013, the world was introduced to a seven-year-old boy battling brain cancer.

The giants that comprise the Nebraska football team centered around him. He stood next to quarterback Taylor Martinez, who passed the ball to the young boy after taking the snap from center.

Jack Hoffman won over everyone’s hearts with a touchdown and 69 yards later. Hoffman had obviously taken center stage.

The event was copied by numerous other sports departments.

The Hoffman family founded the Team Jack Foundation in response to Jack’s cancer, with the goal of curing pediatric brain cancer.

The Hoffman family declared that young Mr. Hoffman’s cancer was in remission in October 2013, indicating that he had won his fight against the disease. He had the opportunity to meet many celebrities, visit President Barack Obama, and win an ESPY in July.

His father, Andy, died on March 1, 2021, at the age of 42, almost a year after being diagnosed with gliobastoma, a type of brain cancer, in July 2020.

Since establishing the Team Jack Foundation in Atkinson, Nebraska, in 2013, Andy Hoffman and his wife Bri have raised over $12 million for research on pediatric brain cancer.

For a few years, Jack Hoffman was able to live a typical life while competing in track and field and football for West Holt in Atkinson. After graduating in May, he enrolled at the University of Nebraska at Kearney with the intention of becoming a lawyer.

Regretfully, his cancer had not completely disappeared. Team Jack announced on Facebook in December of last year that Jack’s most recent scans showed the cancer had spread to several different places.

What most amazes me is that the Hoffmans could have easily remained hidden and never told anyone about Jack’s or Andy’s cancer, but they decided not to. They decided to make it very public, and trust me, that requires a great deal of bravery.

They made the decision to turn their suffering into something positive, which is the Team Jack Foundation. I highly doubt that most of us had never thought about pediatric brain cancer before, but all of those times spent with Jack helped raise public awareness of it.

According to Team Jack’s announcement, Jack Hoffman died today at the age of 19, leaving behind “a legacy of hope, strength, and resilience.”

Even though young Mr. Hoffman left this world far too soon, the fight against pediatric brain cancer is still ongoing.