admin U.S. water polo captain Maggie Steffens is competing with a heavy heart at the Paris Olympics following the death of her sister-in-law just days before the Games commenced.
Lulu Conner, 26, passed away on Tuesday after travelling to Paris to support Steffens, who is aiming for a fourth consecutive gold medal with the U.S. team. The family is still trying to understand the circumstances, with Steffens referring to the situation as “a medical emergency.”
“She was so excited for the Olympic Games,” a tearful Steffens told The Associated Press. “We’re really close. She’s the light of the world. She just brings so much joy to everyone. She always brings people together.”
Despite her grief, Steffens scored two goals in 21 and a half minutes as the U.S. triumphed over Greece 15-6 on the opening day of the women’s tournament on Saturday. She holds the record as the highest-scoring woman in Olympic history, with 58 goals.
“It definitely helps to play,” Steffens said. “I’m like so out of body in a way right now. And I just keep trying to remind myself what Lulu would want and how she would be, you know, how can I embody her spirit the best. And Lulu was somebody that she gave 150% to everything she did.”
Steffens, 31, married Bobby Conner in Puerto Rico in November. Lulu, his sister, was an artist and a UC Davis graduate. She created her own version of Flavor Flav’s USA Water Polo clock for the Olympics.
While Steffens was on the American boat for the opening ceremony on Friday night, she dropped a small bouquet of flowers into the Seine River in remembrance.
“It’s going to be a really hard couple of weeks for all of us,” she said. “My team has been a really big support system for me. I’ve been obviously really struggling, and my husband as well, and his entire family. I mean, it’s a nightmare, and it’s completely shocking. But I think just feeling her spirit here is, like I said, it’s amazing. And I hope that we can make her proud every single day.”
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