Andy Hoffman, 42, who co-founded a foundation to raise money for pediatric brain cancer after his son Jack was diagnosed, died Monday of cancer.
Team Jack Foundation announced his death on Twitter.
"We are deeply saddened to share that our co-founder, @andrewjhoffman, passed away this morning from glioblastoma. Andy was our fearless leader who loved his family with all his heart. Andy, we love you & we promise to honor your legacy by fighting harder than ever for kids," Team Jack said in a Tweet.
Brianna Hoffman had recently announced that Andy had to pause cancer treatments while he battled COVID-19.Â
Jeremiah Sirles, a former Nebraska football player who works with the Team Jack Foundation, said he was devastated by the news. Sirles has worked with the family to raise money toward pediatric cancer research since 2012, and said he was often inspired by Andy Hoffman's passion.Â
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"The way that he went about how much he cared about finding a cure for this disease, even when Jack was in remission — that was still his passion," Sirles said Monday. "It was infectious."
Spencer Long retired from the NFL in 2020 but has remained an advocate for Team Jack. Long said he was amazed by Andy Hoffman's ability to build a beneficial foundation while dealing with the difficulties of helping a son battle cancer.Â
"He was just such an exemplary person," the former Husker said. "Showing other people how to act and how to handle themselves through adversity and pain, and how to love fully and deeply for his family, for others and continue to be such a bright light through even the darkest of times."
Gov. Pete Ricketts said the state will remember Andy Hoffman's efforts in raising awareness of pediatric brain cancer.
"Our hearts are breaking. Susanne and I are keeping Brianna, Jack, and the entire Hoffman family in our thoughts and prayers tonight," he tweeted Monday night.
The Hoffman family of Atkinson gained prominence in 2013, when then-7-year-old Jack Hoffman lined up in the backfield at the Huskers' Red-White Spring Game and ran 69 yards for a touchdown. The play, viewed by millions over the years, raised awareness of pediatric brain cancer and sparked donations to the Team Jack Foundation.
Jack Hoffman, now a 15-year-old freshman at West Holt High School, is in remission for his cancer. The foundation founded by his parents has raised $8.4 million for pediatric cancer research.Â
In July 2020, Andy Hoffman learned he had glioblastoma, a malignant brain tumor that had begun to affect his ability to walk. He underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatment at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, but in October, doctors found two more brain tumors.Â
Imaging scans from January showed the tumors had decreased in size, so doctors continued chemotherapy but took a month-long break from radiation treatment, according to an update posted last week to Facebook by Brianna Hoffman.
But by the end of January, he had developed a cough and went for a COVID-19 test.
"This (test) unfortunately was positive and put our world in a tailspin," Brianna Hoffman wrote on Facebook.
Andy Hoffman received a monoclonal antibody infusion and recovered from the virus. But likely because he couldn't go in for cancer treatments, his neurological symptoms worsened, his wife said. He went to the Mayo Clinic emergency room Feb. 8 and learned that the cancer had progressed, with "many new and increased sites of enhancement," including in his spine.
The former attorney completed a round of radiation treatment Feb. 14 but still struggled to walk.
"This is such a horrible disease," Brianna Hoffman wrote. "Even though Andy's diagnosis was 7 months ago, we are still in denial that this is happening. We are, however, grateful for the past 7 months as we are thankful for each day that God gives us together here on earth."
In addition to Jack, the Hoffmans have two daughters, Ava and Reese.
Sirles said he is praying for the family and is keen to continue the foundation's work so Andy Hoffman will be remembered.Â
"His legacy is just going to be someone that loved so hard for so many people and fought so hard for so many people literally until the day he died," he said.Â
PHOTOS: JACK HOFFMAN AFTER THE RUN