ESPN Documentary Examines Life, Death, and Legal Battle Surrounding Katie Meyer

A new ESPN documentary, "Save – The Katie Meyer Story," promises a poignant and potentially unsettling exploration of the life and tragic death of Katie Meyer, the former Stanford soccer goalie who died by suicide in 2022. The film, directed by Jennifer Karson-Strauss, is scheduled to air on ESPN Saturday at 11 a.m. ET and will be subsequently available for streaming on ESPN+.

The documentary appears to be a multifaceted endeavor, weaving together interviews with key figures, previously unseen video footage, and insights into the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Meyer’s parents against Stanford University. The central narrative revolves around the circumstances leading to Meyer’s death, which occurred the day after she was informed she could face expulsion for an incident involving spilled hot coffee on a Stanford football player. The circumstances around the coffee spilling incident remain unclear.

The film reportedly opens with a deeply personal scene: footage of Meyer and her father, Steve, recorded in February 2022. Steve had traveled from their Southern California home to Stanford to be the guest on the inaugural episode of Katie’s podcast, "Be The Mentality." In the podcast excerpt featured in the documentary, Meyer poses a profound question to her father: "What do you think a lesson is that a person just has to learn on their own?"

Steve Meyer responds with a sentiment that now carries an added layer of sorrow and irony: "Life is not easy, right? … 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."

Tragically, Meyer died just two weeks later at the age of 22. Her parents maintain that they were unaware of the disciplinary proceedings against their daughter and firmly believe that had they known, she would still be alive.

Stanford University has responded to the upcoming documentary with caution. Dee Mostofi, the university’s assistant vice president for external communications, stated that Stanford had not yet seen the film and therefore could not comment on its specific content. Mostofi emphasized that Meyer’s death was a "tragedy" that was "heartbreaking for her family, for everyone who knew her, and for our entire community." She also noted that despite the ongoing litigation, the university’s "deep sympathy for her loss and our continuing support for everyone impacted in our community" remains unchanged.

The documentary is expected to delve into Meyer’s charismatic personality, shed light on the various aspects of her life, and thoroughly examine the civil lawsuit her parents have brought against Stanford. The trial is currently scheduled for April 2026.

Meyer’s parents allege in their lawsuit, filed in November 2022 with the Santa Clara Superior Court of California, that the disciplinary matter against their daughter was conducted "negligently and recklessly." Stanford, however, has countered these claims, pointing to Meyer’s personal struggles.

According to a Stanford legal filing, six days prior to her death, Meyer rehearsed an oral presentation about her family relationships before her arrival at Stanford. Stanford argues that "the notes taken of what Katie said reveal Katie’s struggles with her parents and their control and pressure to be perfect."

The podcast excerpts included in the documentary offer glimpses into Meyer’s relationship with her parents. She recalls being cut from the U.S. national team for players 17-and-under shortly before the World Cup. "I was so ashamed and terrified because my entire identity was being that soccer player," she says.

Her father responded, "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" you.

Meyer also recounted not being good enough to play as a freshman at Stanford, to which her father responded, "I actually thought it was a blessing in disguise," believing it gave her time to adjust. The following year, Meyer played a pivotal role in leading Stanford to the national championship. She remembers running across the field to celebrate with her father, and then adding "And mom… Mom was there, too."

As the podcast drew to a close, Meyer acknowledged her mother’s online presence, reading aloud, "Hi, my loves."

Julie Foudy, a former Stanford soccer star, serves as the reporter and public face of ESPN in the documentary. Foudy, who played at Stanford from 1989 to 1991 and graduated in 1993, told USA TODAY Sports that she has always been "very vociferous about my connection to Stanford."

Her connection to Stanford is not disclosed in the documentary. When asked about this, Foudy stated, "We didn’t talk about it." Andy Hall, a director of communications with ESPN, confirmed that there was a discussion about it, but ultimately, ESPN decided that Foudy’s ties to Stanford "did not make a difference in her being the reporter on the story."

According to Foudy, she asked tough but fair questions of Stanford, who declined on-camera interviews and responded in writing. She added, "I get why they didn’t want to get on camera, and I knew that was probably going to be difficult… 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."

The documentary also highlights the Meyers’ efforts to advocate for the passage of AB 1575, Katie Meyers Law. This law mandates that public California colleges and universities must allow students to have an advisor present when facing alleged violations of the student code of conduct. The bill passed unanimously in the California State Assembly and was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom. Because Stanford is a private institution, it is not legally obligated to adhere to the law.

However, a recent motion filed by the Meyers’ legal team alleges that 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 Meyer was a resident advisor.

The motion, which includes text messages purportedly exchanged between Meyer and Zimbroff, asserts that Zimbroff’s "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 are seeking communications between Meyer and Zimbroff that they claim the school is withholding.

Stanford’s Mostofi responded to these allegations, stating that there is "no merit" to the assertions made regarding Zimbroff. Mostofi stated that Zimbroff never acted as Meyer’s attorney and, as a resident fellow, "cared deeply for Katie and was very supportive of her." She added that Zimbroff informed colleagues that she would not be involved in any legal counsel in those proceedings and would continue to support Katie in her resident fellow capacity. "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," Mostofi said.

A ruling on this matter, as well as other outstanding issues, is expected later this year, before the trial commences.

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.