For Mental Health Awareness Month, a new edition of ESPN E60 debuts Saturday with Save – The Katie Meyer Story.
In 2022, the sports world was stunned by the death of Stanford soccer captain Katie Meyer, who died by suicide just three months shy of graduation.
In the aftermath, her family began a search for answers and ultimately a fight for change. E60 examines Meyer’s life and impact, spotlighting the California law passed in her name and driven by advocacy from her parents.
The episode premieres Saturday, May 10, at 11 a.m. ET on ESPN, streaming afterward on ESPN+.
E60 producer/director Jennifer Karson-Strauss, a former NCAA Division I collegiate soccer player at Pepperdine, and ESPN’s Julie Foudy, a Hall of Fame player during her soccer career, worked together to tell the story. Karson-Strauss spoke with Front Row:
How did you come to do this story?
I first heard about Katie Meyer’s tragic death when it made national headlines in 2022. At the time, I, like many others, only knew the surface of the story. It wasn’t until later that year that I began to understand the deeper, more complex circumstances surrounding the final months of Katie’s life.
The real momentum came over a year later, when Julie Foudy reached out to me with the idea of pursuing the story together. From that point on, we committed ourselves to digging into the details and, most importantly, earning the trust of the Meyer family so we could tell their story with clarity, care and respect.
And as a parent, I felt the Meyer family’s pain in a very personal way. I can’t fully imagine what they’re going through, but their grief stayed with me throughout the reporting.
– Jennifer Karson-Strauss
How much did your background as a college soccer player help you in the telling of this story?
My background as a college soccer player really helped me connect with Katie’s story. We actually played for the same club team – just at different times – and knew a lot of the same people. That shared world gave me a deeper understanding of her drive and the pressure that comes with playing at that level.
And as a parent, I felt the Meyer family’s pain in a very personal way. I can’t fully imagine what they’re going through, but their grief stayed with me throughout the reporting.
What do you hope viewers take away from this story?
Katie could have been anyone’s friend, sister, or daughter. Her story is a powerful reminder that even the brightest, most energetic people can be carrying unseen struggles. I hope viewers take away the importance of checking in – not just with those who seem vulnerable, but with those who appear the strongest, too. Ultimately, I hope that those who watch this story never forget Katie and that through the depth of the pain felt by her loss, that maybe, just maybe, her story helps someone else.
