A new ESPN documentary about Katie Meyer, the former Stanford soccer goalie who died by suicide in 2022, brings chilling video to the surface.
“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 film deftly weaves interviews, video and a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Meyer’s parents against Stanford. In 2022, she was found dead in her dorm room the day after learning she faced possible expulsion for accidentally or intentionally spilling hot coffee on a Stanford football player.
The film opens with footage of Meyer, then captain of the soccer team, sitting next to her father, Steve. It was February 2022, and he had driven to Stanford from the family’s home in Southern California. Katie Meyer had invited him to be the guest on the first episode of her podcast.
“What do you think a lesson is that a person just has to learn on their own?’’ Katie Meyer asks on the podcast, ‘Be The Mentality.’
“Life is not easy, right?’’ her father replies. “… After some type of failure, whether it’s in sports or in schoolwork or your career, then if you just keep grinding and remain open-minded, it may actually be an opportunity to do something else.’’
Meyer died two weeks later. She was 22.
Her parents say they were unaware of the disciplinary matter and, if they had been, that their daughter would be alive today.
Dee Mostofi, Stanford’s assistant vice president for external communications, told USA TODAY Sports the school has not seen ESPN’s documentary so could not comment on it.
‘Katie’s death was a tragedy,” Mostofi said. ‘It was heartbreaking for her family, for everyone who knew her, and for our entire community. Though we continue to respond to the litigation brought by the family, that fact does not diminish our deep sympathy for her loss and our continuing support for everyone impacted in our community.’
The film captures Meyer’s charisma, sheds light on her life and death and delves into her parents’ civil lawsuit, which is set to go to trial in April 2026. The podcast episode was the only one recorded by Meyer.
The lawsuit filed by Meyer’s parents against Stanford
Her parents fault Stanford in their lawsuit. Filed Nov. 23, 2022, with the Santa Clara Superior Court of California, it alleges the disciplinary matter against Meyer was conducted ‘negligently and recklessly.’’
Stanford points to Meyer’s parents. Six days before Meyer was found dead, according to a Stanford legal filing, she rehearsed in front of teachers an oral presentation she would make to the class about her family relationships before she came to Stanford.
“The notes taken of what Katie said reveal Katie’s struggles with her parents and their control and pressure to be perfect,’’ according to Stanford’s answer to the Meyers’ amended complaint filed with the court July 28, 2023.
At one point, Meyer recalls being a sophomore in high school when she was cut from the U.S. national team for players 17-and-under not long before the team competed in the World Cup.
“I was so ashamed and terrified because my entire identity was being that soccer player,’’ she says.
Responds her father about Meyer’s return home after being cut, “For you, your mom’s still making you pancakes in the morning. I’m still giving you bad dad jokes. It is OK, because you don’t want to let that necessarily at that age, at any age really, it’s difficult to not let something like that define.’’
Later, Meyer recalls not being good enough to play as a freshman at Stanford. Responds her father, “I actually thought it was a blessing in disguise,’’ adding he thought it gave her time to get acclimated.
The following year, Meyer’s clutch play helped propel Stanford to the national championship. On the podcast, she recalls running across the field to celebrate with her father.
“And mom,’’ Steve Meyer says.
“And mom,’’ Katie Meyer says. “Mom was there, too.’’
As the podcast wrapped up, Meyer checked her laptop screen to see who had posted questions and comments. Her mom had checked in, and Meyer read the words aloud.
“Hi, my loves.’’
Ex-Stanford star serves as film’s reporter
Julie Foudy, a former Stanford soccer star, serves as the reporter and the face of ESPN in the documentary.
“I am very vociferous about my connection to Stanford and always have been,” Foudy, who played there from 1989 to 1991 and graduated from the university in 1993, told USA TODAY Sports this week. “Love my time there.’’
Her connection to Stanford is not disclosed in the documentary. When asked by USA TODAY Sports whether doing so was discussed, Foudy replied, “We didn’t talk about it.’’
Andy Hall, a director of communications with ESPN, told USA TODAY Sports, “there was a discussion but she wasn’t involved in it’’ and ESPN decided Foudy’s ties to Stanford “did not make a difference in her being the reporter on the story.’’
In the documentary, Foudy asks tough but fair questions of Stanford. The school declined to have representatives appear on camera and responded to questions in writing, according to Foudy. Meyer’s parents were interviewed extensively on camera.
“I get why they didn’t want to get on camera, and I knew that was probably going to be difficult,’’ Foudy said of Stanford. “But yeah, I also knew it was a story that I think was important to tell. And as hard as it was, it’s a story that definitely people needed to hear.’’
Accusations of deceit
The law requires public California colleges and universities to allow students to have an adviser when facing an alleged violation of a student code of conduct. The bill passed unanimously in the California State Assembly, and Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it into law.
Because Stanford is a private school, it does not have to adhere to the law.
But a recent motion filed by the Meyers’ legal team states Katie Meyer had discussed the disciplinary matter with Jennifer Zimbroff, then deputy general counsel for the school’s office of general counsel and a resident fellow in the dorm where Katie Meyer was a resident advisor.
The motion, which includes text messages the plaintiffs say were exchanged between Meyer and Zimbroff, states, “The documented pattern of Ms. Zimbroff’s unethical conduct with Katie demonstrates that her dominant purpose was not providing legal advice to Stanford but rather acting as Katie’s attorney’ (on an unrelated matter) ‘and extracting information from her as an informant. The text messages reveal a calculated strategy of deceit spanning for months leading up to Katie’s death.’’
The Meyers want redacted and withheld communications and documents of Zimbroff, according to the motion.
Stanford’s Mostofi told USA TODAY Sports there is no merit to the assertions made regarding Ms. Zimbroff. Mostofi said Zimbroff never acted as an attorney for Katie Meyer and as a resident fellow ‘cared deeply for Katie and was very supportive of her.”
‘When Ms. Zimbroff learned that Katie was involved in an incident that might lead to a disciplinary proceeding, she informed colleagues in the legal office that she would not be involved in any legal counsel in those proceedings and would continue to support Katie in her resident fellow capacity,” Mostofi added. ‘We believe the mischaracterizations made by the plaintiffs in the latest filing regarding Ms. Zimbroff are false and reckless and we continue to believe that there is no merit to these claims.”
The matter is scheduled to be ruled on later this year, as are other issues before the trial begins.
If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call 988 any time day or night, or chat online. Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741.