Mayer, a senior who helped secure the 2019 NCAA championship for the cardinal, was found dead in her dormitory room on Tuesday, according to the university.
“The last few days have been like a parent’s worst nightmare, and you don’t wake up from it, so it’s just awful,” Gina Meyer, Katie’s mother, said in a recorded interview. The Mayer family told NBC that they spoke to their daughter just hours before she died.
“She was excited and had a lot on her plate, and there was a lot going on, but she was happy. She was in a great mood,” said Gina Meyer.
“She was the usual cheerful Katie,” added Katie’s father, Steve Meyer.
Gina Meyer acknowledged that the pressure to be perfect and “the best” can be worrying. But “the only thing we can think of that has caused something,” she said, “is some form of disciplinary action at school.” Katie recently defended her teammate on campus because of an accident, and she faced consequences because of it, her parents said, citing it as a possible turning point for their daughter.
Stanford issued a statement Friday saying: “Our entire community is devastated by Katie’s death, and we share our deepest condolences to Katie’s family and all who knew her at Stanford, across the country and around the world. Katie touched so many lives. We are unable to share information about students’ confidential disciplinary matters. As a university community, we continue to grieve with Katie’s family and cherish her memories. “
“We are currently struggling to find out what happened and why it happened. You know, we’re just heartbroken. We are so heartbroken, “said Gina Meyer, her voice trembling with emotion.
She wore her daughter’s red sweatshirt to the interview because “every mother will understand, but when you smell it, it smells like her.” It smells like Katie. You know, just her scent, ”she said, giving her heart a sob. “I wear it because I want to be close to her, so yes, she is hers.
Editor’s note: If you or a loved one have considered suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 1-800-273-8255 or send an SMS to 741741. The International Suicide Prevention Association and friends around the world also provide information for contact with crisis centers around the world.