Jack Hoffman, a Nebraska Cornhuskers superfan battling cancer who captured the attention of the nation for his spring game touchdown run when he was 7 years old, has died. He was 19.
Hoffman died of brain cancer on Wednesday, Team Jack Foundation Executive Director Kylie Dockter said. He had battled new and more aggressive tumors late last year.
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Cancer survivor Jack Hoffman before delivering a drug-free pledge during the halftime of Nebraska’s NCAA college football spring game in Lincoln, Nebraska, on April 12, 2014. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)
“It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of Jack Hoffman, the courageous namesake of the Team Jack Foundation. Jack passed away after a long and hard-fought battle with brain cancer, a journey that inspired countless lives and left a legacy of hope, strength, and resilience,” the foundation said in a statement on social media.
“Through his battle, Jack touched lives far and wide. From his unforgettable 69-yard touchdown run during the Nebraska Spring Game that captivated the hearts of millions to the countless families who found solace and support through the work of the Team Jack Foundation, his impact will echo for generations. Jack may no longer be with us in person, but his legacy lives on in the work of the Team Jack Foundation, in the lives of the children and families we’ve helped, and in the hope he gave to so many.”
Hoffman was initially diagnosed with brain cancer in 2011, and his parents helped launch the foundation to support research efforts to end pediatric brain cancer.
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Hoffman’s father, Andy, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2020 and died March 1, 2021. He was 42.
The foundation has raised more than $12.6 million since 2013.
Hoffman went viral during Nebraska’s 2013 spring game after the coaching staff invited him to run a play in the fourth quarter. Hoffman ran for a 69-yard touchdown, and he was the talk of the sports world for several days.
In the midst of all of it, he started up a friendship with running back Rex Burkhead. The two, along with Hoffman’s family, later visited then-President Obama, who presented the youngster with a new football and told him he was proud of him.
“Love you buddy. Tell Jesus we say hello,” Burkhead wrote in a post on X.
Jack Hoffman, left, along side his father, Andy Hoffman, accepts the award for best moment at the ESPY Awards, July 17, 2013, at Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. (John Shearer/Invision/AP, File)
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Hoffman played football at Atkinson High School and graduated in May. He was pre-law at the University of Nebraska-Kearney.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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