Who was CJ Carr’s brother Chad and what happened to him? All about family

CJ Carr, the quarterback for Notre Dame, is making news as he takes on a starting role for the Fighting Irish, but prior to his rise is a much deeper story about tragedy, perseverance, and family strength. CJ's little brother, Chad Carr, had a huge impact on his perspective on life, even though his time was tragically cut short.

Chad Carr, the youngest of three brothers in the Carr family, was born to Tammi and Jason Carr. Chad grew up in a house where sports were the norm; his eldest brother CJ and his brother Tommy routinely involved Chad in their experiences.

In 2014, Chad was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), an aggressive and typically inoperable brain tumor found mainly in children. Chad was only four years old at the time.

He only lived for five years, but Chad Carr was inspiration for all of us. (@MitchAlbom) https://t.co/EsBpOqVGi7 pic.twitter.com/4DRjnG9G2C

— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) November 24, 2015

Chad supposedly had 30 rounds of radiation in the first 14 months, however, his health kept declining. Chad died at the young age of five on November 23, 2015.

According to the National Cancer Institute, DIPG is an aggressive and rare brain cancer affecting the brain stem, disrupting the function of important activities such as movement and communication. Furthermore, the disease is virtually untreatable and, at this time, has no cure. It is one of the leading causes of brain cancer-related deaths in children.

Carr family's response to Chad Carr's death and CJ Carr’s tribute to his brother

Once Chad was diagnosed, everything changed for the Carr family. In 2015, they started The ChadTough Foundation to fund research into DIPG and other pediatric brain cancers.

Later, they partnered with another family-focused effort to become the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation, now one of the largest funders of DIPG research in the world. It has raised millions of dollars to fund research and supported dozens of families to advocate for attention to the disease.

Today marks the start of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, but children fighting brain cancer deserve to be recognized all year long.

With your support, we can accelerate progress and bring real hope to every child and family.

Make a gift at https://t.co/icJ49hUJM0. pic.twitter.com/2WBrdMhU9A

— ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation (@chadtough) September 1, 2025

Every year, the family also hosts RunTough for ChadTough as a charity event in memory of Chad's birthday and Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. For CJ Carr, memories of Chad serve as a daily motivation. The Notre Dame quarterback also has a tattoo of his brother's name on his wrist.

"I’m not taking anything for granted because of the experiences we had with Chad. What his legacy will continue to show is don’t take your time here for granted. You only have so much of it," CJ said in a statement.

CJ also uses his channels to raise awareness and join forces with brands who care about pediatric cancer research as part of his NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) agreements.