Maggie Steffens and her household skilled a heartbreaking loss earlier than the beginning of the Olympic Video games in Paris.
On Tuesday, July 23, Lulu Conner—the Olympic U.S. Water Polo group captain’s sister-in-law—died at 26 after touring to town to assist Steffens as she competes for a fourth consecutive gold medal with the U.S. group.
In line with the Related Press, Maggie—who married Lulu’s brother Bobby Conner in November—shared that she and her household are nonetheless figuring out precisely what occurred, however described the scenario as “a medical emergency.”
“She was so excited for the Olympic Video games,” a teary Steffens advised the outlet. “We’re actually shut. She’s the sunshine of the world. She simply brings a lot pleasure to everybody. She all the time brings folks collectively.”
Lulu Conner was an artist—she made her personal model of Taste Flav’s USA Water Polo clock for the Olympics—a UC Davis grad, and one in all three siblings.
Imma be carrying a VERY SPECIAL second clock during the Olympics and extra,,,
MADE WITH LOVE BY ARTIST LULU CONNER 🫶🏾 pic.twitter.com/vNzDhteicS— FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) July 28, 2024
“It undoubtedly helps to play,” Steffens mentioned. “I’m like so out of physique in a means proper now. And I simply maintain attempting to remind myself what Lulu would need and the way she could be. How can I embody her spirit one of the best? Lulu was any individual who gave 150% to every little thing she did.”
The 31-year-old scored two targets whereas enjoying 21 1/2 minutes because the U.S. beat Greece 15-6 on the primary day of the ladies’s match on Saturday. She is the highest-scoring girl in Olympic historical past with 58 targets.
What a second for Maggie Steffens on the #OpeningCeremony
She drops flowers into the Seine from the Group USA boat to honor a late member of the family ❤️ pic.twitter.com/G1TPAKqc6q
— DraftKings (@DraftKings) July 26, 2024
In a candy tribute to Lulu, Maggie dropped a bouquet of flowers into the River Seine from Group USA’s boat throughout the July 26 Opening Ceremony.
However as Maggie continues in her 2024 Olympic journey, she has an enormous assist system behind her—together with head coach Adam Krikorian, whose personal brother died shortly earlier than the 2016 Video games in Rio de Janeiro.
“You simply present her love and assist,” Adam defined to the Related Press. “You understand it’s vital that she’s there for Bobby and his household as effectively. This can be a troublesome time for them, and provides her some freedom to have the ability to spend a while with them I believe is enormously vital.”
“It’s going to be a extremely onerous couple of weeks for all of us,” Maggie admitted. “My group has been a extremely large assist system for me. I’ve been clearly actually struggling, and my husband as effectively, and his total household. It’s a nightmare, and it’s utterly stunning.”
She continued, “However I believe simply feeling her spirit right here—it’s wonderful. And I hope that we are able to make her proud each single day.”