Inspiring Nebraska fan Jack Hoffman, famous for The Run, dead at 19

Jack Hoffman, known for scoring a touchdown on “The Run” as a child during the 2013 Nebraska spring game after being diagnosed with brain cancer, died Monday at the age of 19, his foundation announced.Hoffman died after a decade-plus battle with brain cancer, and his Team Jack Foundation became a leading institute for pediatric cancer research.“It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of Jack Hoffman,” the foundation posted Tuesday on X.“Jack passed away after a long battle with brain cancer, a journey that inspired countless lives and left a legacy of hope, strength, and resilience.

Jack Hoffman, you will always be our hero.”Hoffman, a native Nebraskan who still lived in the state, entered sports lore as a 7-year-old for his magical moment after being diagnosed with brain cancer.He received a loud ovation while being introduced to the crowd before receiving a handoff and following his blockers to the end zone for a 69-yard touchdown.The Memorial Stadium crowd went wild while he scooted to the end zone, and the players picked him up and celebrated the touching moment with him.Nebraska football meant the world to Hoffman, who suffered a life-threatening seizure in 2011 that revealed a mass in his left temporal lobe, according to his biography on his foundation’s website.While doctors removed a “small amount” of the tumor, the rest could not be operated on.Hoffman underwent a second brain surgery in 2011 that removed 95 percent of the tumor, per the biography, but the remaining mass grew “aggressively.”He began chemotherapy in 2012.Before that second surgery, his family contacted Nebraska to set up a meeting with Hoffman and his favorite player, future NFL running back Rex Burkhead.Two years later, Nebraska asked Hoffman to participate in their spring game with the plan to let him score a touchdown in what would become an iconic moment.That scene earned “Best Moment” honors from the 2013 ESPYs, and Hoffman met met then-P...