Now Reading: Katie Meyer’s life, dying focus of ESPN movie on former Stanford goalie
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Katie Meyer’s life, dying focus of ESPN movie on former Stanford goalie
Katie Meyer’s life, dying focus of ESPN movie on former Stanford goalie
How “Katie’s Save” creates a disaster line for struggling faculty college students
Stanford athlete Katie Meyer died by suicide in early 2022. Her dad and mom have began “Katie’s Save,” a program to create a disaster line for college kids.
Josh Peter and Hank Farr, USA TODAY
A brand new ESPN documentary about Katie Meyer, the previous Stanford soccer goalie who died by suicide in 2022, brings chilling video to the floor.
“Save – The Katie Meyer Story’’ will air at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN Saturday and stream afterward on ESPN+. Directed by Jennifer Karson-Strauss, the movie deftly weaves interviews, video and a wrongful dying lawsuit filed by Meyer’s dad and mom towards Stanford. In 2022, she was discovered useless in her dorm room the day after studying she confronted attainable expulsion for by chance or deliberately spilling scorching espresso on a Stanford soccer participant.
The movie opens with footage of Meyer, then captain of the soccer crew, sitting subsequent to her father, Steve. It was February 2022, and he had pushed to Stanford from the household’s dwelling in Southern California. Katie Meyer had invited him to be the visitor on the primary episode of her podcast.
“What do you assume a lesson is that an individual simply has to study on their very own?’’ Katie Meyer asks on the podcast, “Be The Mentality.”
“Life isn’t straightforward, proper?’’ her father replies. “… After some sort of failure, whether or not it’s in sports activities or in schoolwork or your profession, then in the event you simply preserve grinding and stay open-minded, it might really be a chance to do one thing else.’’
Meyer died two weeks later. She was 22.
Her dad and mom say they have been unaware of the disciplinary matter and, if that they had been, that their daughter can be alive in the present day.
Dee Mostofi, Stanford’s assistant vice chairman for exterior communications, advised USA TODAY Sports activities the college has not seen ESPN’s documentary so couldn’t touch upon it.
“Katie’s dying was a tragedy,” Mostofi stated. “It was heartbreaking for her household, for everybody who knew her, and for our complete group. Although we proceed to answer the litigation introduced by the household, that reality doesn’t diminish our deep sympathy for her loss and our persevering with help for everybody impacted in our group.”
The movie captures Meyer’s charisma, sheds mild on her life and dying and delves into her dad and mom’ civil lawsuit, which is about to go to trial in April 2026. The podcast episode was the one one recorded by Meyer.
The lawsuit filed by Meyer’s dad and mom towards Stanford
Her dad and mom fault Stanford of their lawsuit. Filed Nov. 23, 2022, with the Santa Clara Superior Courtroom of California, it alleges the disciplinary matter towards Meyer was carried out “negligently and recklessly.’’
Stanford factors to Meyer’s dad and mom. Six days earlier than Meyer was discovered useless, in accordance with a Stanford authorized submitting, she rehearsed in entrance of academics an oral presentation she would make to the category about her household relationships earlier than she got here to Stanford.
“The notes taken of what Katie stated reveal Katie’s struggles together with her dad and mom and their management and strain to be excellent,’’ in accordance with Stanford’s reply to the Meyers’ amended criticism filed with the court docket July 28, 2023.
The podcast affords a snapshot of Meyer’s relationship together with her dad and mom.
At one level, Meyer recollects being a sophomore in highschool when she was minimize from the U.S. nationwide crew for gamers 17-and-under not lengthy earlier than the crew competed within the World Cup.
“I used to be so ashamed and terrified as a result of my complete identification was being that soccer participant,’’ she says.
Responds her father about Meyer’s return dwelling after being minimize, “For you, your mother’s nonetheless making you pancakes within the morning. I am nonetheless providing you with unhealthy dad jokes. It’s OK, since you do not wish to let that essentially at that age, at any age actually, it is tough to not let one thing like that outline.’’
Later, Meyer recollects not being ok to play as a freshman at Stanford. Responds her father, “I really thought it was a blessing in disguise,’’ including he thought it gave her time to get acclimated.
The next 12 months, Meyer’s clutch play helped propel Stanford to the nationwide championship. On the podcast, she recollects working throughout the sector to rejoice together with her father.
“And mother,’’ Steve Meyer says.
“And mother,’’ Katie Meyer says. “Mother was there, too.’’
Because the podcast wrapped up, Meyer checked her laptop computer display screen to see who had posted questions and feedback. Her mother had checked in, and Meyer learn the phrases aloud.
“Hello, my loves.’’
Ex-Stanford star serves as movie’s reporter
Julie Foudy, a former Stanford soccer star, serves because the reporter and the face of ESPN within the documentary.
“I’m very vociferous about my connection to Stanford and at all times have been,” Foudy, who performed there from 1989 to 1991 and graduated from the college in 1993, advised USA TODAY Sports activities this week. “Love my time there.’’
Her connection to Stanford isn’t disclosed within the documentary. When requested by USA TODAY Sports activities whether or not doing so was mentioned, Foudy replied, “We didn’t discuss it.’’
Andy Corridor, a director of communications with ESPN, advised USA TODAY Sports activities, “there was a dialogue however she wasn’t concerned in it’’ and ESPN determined Foudy’s ties to Stanford “didn’t make a distinction in her being the reporter on the story.’’
Within the documentary, Foudy asks robust however truthful questions of Stanford. The college declined to have representatives seem on digital camera and responded to questions in writing, in accordance with Foudy. Meyer’s dad and mom have been interviewed extensively on digital camera.
“I get why they did not wish to get on digital camera, and I knew that was in all probability going to be tough,’’ Foudy stated of Stanford. “However yeah, I additionally knew it was a narrative that I believe was necessary to inform. And as onerous because it was, it is a story that undoubtedly individuals wanted to listen to.’’
Accusations of deceit
The movie paperwork the Meyers’ efforts to push for the passage of AB 1575, Katie Meyer’s Regulation.
The regulation requires public California faculties and universities to permit college students to have an adviser when going through an alleged violation of a scholar code of conduct. The invoice handed unanimously within the California State Meeting, and Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it into regulation.
As a result of Stanford is a personal faculty, it doesn’t have to stick to the regulation.
However a current movement filed by the Meyers’ authorized crew states Katie Meyer had mentioned the disciplinary matter with Jennifer Zimbroff, then deputy common counsel for the college’s workplace of common counsel and a resident fellow within the dorm the place Katie Meyer was a resident advisor.
The movement, which incorporates textual content messages the plaintiffs say have been exchanged between Meyer and Zimbroff, states, “The documented sample of Ms. Zimbroff’s unethical conduct with Katie demonstrates that her dominant function was not offering authorized recommendation to Stanford however relatively appearing as Katie’s legal professional” (on an unrelated matter) “and extracting info from her as an informant. The textual content messages reveal a calculated technique of deceit spanning for months main as much as Katie’s dying.’’
The Meyers need redacted and withheld communications and paperwork of Zimbroff, in accordance with the movement.
Stanford’s Mostofi advised USA TODAY Sports activities there isn’t any advantage to the assertions made relating to Ms. Zimbroff. Mostofi stated Zimbroff by no means acted as an legal professional for Katie Meyer and as a resident fellow “cared deeply for Katie and was very supportive of her.”
“When Ms. Zimbroff realized that Katie was concerned in an incident that may result in a disciplinary continuing, she knowledgeable colleagues within the authorized workplace that she wouldn’t be concerned in any authorized counsel in these proceedings and would proceed to help Katie in her resident fellow capability,” Mostofi added. “We imagine the mischaracterizations made by the plaintiffs within the newest submitting relating to Ms. Zimbroff are false and reckless and we proceed to imagine that there isn’t any advantage to those claims.”
The matter is scheduled to be dominated on later this 12 months, as are different points earlier than the trial begins.
If you happen to or somebody you recognize could also be battling suicidal ideas, you may name 988 any time day or night time, or chat on-line. Disaster Textual content Line additionally supplies free, 24/7, confidential help through textual content message to individuals in disaster once they dial 741741.
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