He was hiking with his in-laws in Sequoia National Park on Saturday when he became separated from the group.
He was found unresponsive the next day near Sawtooth Mountain, an area he knew well.
His brother Brent says Drew had been visiting the park since he was a kid.
When he went missing, Brent and about a dozen friends went to look for him.
"Having these people around me was important to me. We found out, obviously, there's nothing else we could do. We looked down at the mountain, and there were five more people coming to help," said his brother, Brent Hall.
Until last year, Brent says his brother was a basketball coach at Golden West High School in Visalia, his alma mater. It was a full-circle moment -- coaching students where he once played.
"He had such a great experience at school, he wanted to be there and have that same impact on kids as the coaches before him had," said Brent.
He was preparing to take on a new role as an instructional coach for elementary PE teachers in Visalia Unified. But his family says his most cherished role was being a dad.
"Anyone who knows Drew, his greatest passion, whether it was teaching or coaching, was being a dad. So, it was very evident, but that was his passion and that's what he loved to be," said Brent.
As the family grieves, they say they'll remember Drew for his kindness and love for his family.
"His memory will continue to last just because of the legacy and the commitment he had to others, and his willingness to step in and help," said Brent.
Visalia Unified says counselors are available for students and staff impacted by Drew's passing.
The Hall family has also set up a donation page to support Drew's wife and daughters during this difficult time; that information is here.
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