US water polo captain Maggie Steffens tossed flowers into the Seine from Staff USA’s opening ceremony boat to honor her late sister-in-law Lulu Conner, who died in Paris simply days earlier than the video games started.
Conner went to Paris to cheer on Steffens as she competed for her fourth Olympic gold medal. She died on Tuesday on account of a “medical emergency.” The Related Press first reported the information of the lady’s demise. A consultant for the US Water Polo crew confirmed Conner’s demise to The Impartial.
She was the 26-year-old sister of Steffens’ husband Bobby Conner. The household has not launched particulars of her explanation for demise.
“She was so excited for the Olympic Video games,” Steffens advised The Related Press on Sunday. “We’re actually shut. She’s the sunshine of the world. She simply brings a lot pleasure to everybody. She at all times brings individuals collectively.”
Conner had made clock necklaces for members of the ladies’s water polo crew and rapper Taste Flav, the crew’s hype man.
Steffens mentioned her crew has been rallying behind her within the aftermath of her loss.
“I’ve been clearly actually struggling, and my husband as effectively, and his whole household. I imply, it’s a nightmare, and it’s fully surprising. However I believe simply feeling her spirit right here is, like I mentioned, it’s wonderful. And I hope that we are able to make her proud each single day,” she mentioned.
The athlete managed to attain two objectives whereas taking part in in opposition to Greece on Saturday. The US received 15 to six. Steffens is the highest-scoring girl in Olympic historical past with 58 objectives.
The crew will likely be taking part in in opposition to Spain on Monday.
“It positively helps to play,” Steffens mentioned. “I’m like so out of physique in a method proper now. And I simply hold making an attempt to remind myself what Lulu would need and the way she could be, , how can I embody her spirit the very best. And Lulu was any individual that she gave 150 p.c to all the things she did.”
Steffens’ coach Adam Krikorian advised the AP his brother, Blake, died days earlier than the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics in Brazil. He flew house from Rio and managed to return simply in time to educate the crew’s first sport.
“, when it occurs, it’s like all of the feelings come pouring again to you,” he advised the outlet. “You won’t really feel these feelings that usually, however then they simply come dashing again.”
Steffens, 31, married her husband, Bobby Conner, in November.
