John H. Hoffman, 9, of Gettysburg, PA, passed away Friday, March 6, 2026, at his home, surrounded by family. Born June 14, 2016, in Hanover, he was the beloved son of Andrew J. Hoffman and Kristen (Watrud) Hoffman, and treasured brother of Cole and Benjamin Hoffman.
As the middle child, John was literally surrounded by brotherly love. Cole and Ben were always very protective of their brother and often assisted with John’s needs. They were always ready to help push his wheelchair, assist with meals, and make sure his toys were within reach. They showed great understanding each time John had a stay in the hospital, and lovingly sacrificed how they could to ensure that John’s needs were met. Kristen managed all of the logistics of John’s medical care for nine years, continually seeking out every possible specialist, resource, therapy, and opportunity for his day-to-day wants and needs, inclusion, and for rare disease research. John was weeks shy of his first birthday when he and Kristen went to the state capitol in Harrisburg to attend a Pennsylvania Rare Disease Day event, focused on raising awareness for research, funding, and the creation of the Pennsylvania Rare Disease Advisory Council. Andy made sure that John always had the opportunity to be outside, whether it was sitting on the front porch watching the tree leaves, riding around in the Kubota, going to the beach, or sitting next to him in the tractor.
John was a truly unique boy, as he was one of three in the world diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder known as TIAL1. From the very beginning of his life, he was cared for by many loving doctors, nurses, therapists, and teachers who all went above and beyond to ensure he had the best support. He was very well known at both the York Hospital NICU and the Penn State Hershey PICU and had many loyal nurses and therapists who doted on him. Because of his needs, he was cared for day and night by his parents and home health nurses. John established close and loving relationships with those who cared for him; two exceptional nurses, Curtis Martin and Cierra Gobrecht, each cared for him for over three years.
John had an incredible number of friends, and his reach extended across the world. He and dozens of other Summer 2016 babies were affectionately known as the Catbabies, as Kristen and their moms connected online and supported each other before and after each baby in the group was born. Because of his famous smirk and side-eye, he was dubbed Judge John, a nickname that stuck with him throughout his life.
John was a naturally joyful and happy child, and was a delight and pure light to everyone who knew him. His favorite things included his Bear-Bear, music, lights, books, and his preferred toys. John loved Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, and it was a highlight of his life when he visited the Neighborhood of Make-Believe for his birthday last year. He met Daniel Tiger and Katarina Kittycat and was in complete awe while riding the neighborhood trolley. Another fantastic adventure of John’s was traveling to Alaska in 2018 for a family wedding, and enjoying the beautiful mountains and wildlife. John enjoyed taking all his books off the shelves and reading them, and sharing his train with others. He was particularly fond of blueberries, avocados, and his Nanny’s chicken salad. John was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and attended as often as he was able. He loved listening to hymns and especially enjoyed singing time with his friends in the Primary program. He was prayed for in the local community and within many local and distant churches all his life.
In addition to his parents and brothers, John is survived by his paternal grandparents, Jim and Deb Hoffman; maternal grandfather, Don Watrud; aunt and uncle, Kara and Josh Spencer; cousin Genevieve Spencer; and paternal great-grandmother, Mae Redden. John was preceded in death by his maternal grandmother, Becky Watrud. John touched an extraordinary number of lives and will be forever cherished and remembered by his family, extended family, friends, and many healthcare professionals from all fields who devoted their time to his care.
A Celebration of John’s Life will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, March 14, 2026, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1170 Kohler Mill Road, New Oxford, PA. All are welcome to attend. The service will be broadcast via Zoom for all those unable to travel. The Monahan Funeral Home is assisting the family with funeral arrangements. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Wellspan York Hospital NICU or the Penn State Hershey Medical Center Child Life Program.
The zoom link is: https://zoom.us/j/95383979851