U.S. women’s water polo captain Maggie Steffens is competing amid tragedy at the Paris Olympics after the sudden death of her sister-in-law.
Speaking to The Associated Press, the three-time gold medalist confirmed that Lulu Conner died suddenly on July 23 after traveling to France to watch Ms. Steffens compete in the summer games.
She said the family is still trying to piece together what exactly happened but said the 26-year-old suffered a “medical emergency.”
“She was so excited for the Olympic Games … We’re really close. She’s the light of the world. She just brings so much joy to everyone. She always brings people together,” Ms. Steffens said.
While on Team USA’s boat during the opening ceremony last week, Ms. Steffens honored Lulu by dropping a bouquet of flowers in the Seine River in remembrance.
“It’s going to be a really hard couple 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.”
Also paying tribute—which may have come as a surprise to some—is rapper and official women’s water polo sponsor Flavor Flav.
In an Instagram post, Ms. Steffens’ husband, Bobby, is seen gifting the rapper a clock necklace made by Lulu herself prior to her death.
Flavor Flav is famously known for wearing giant clock necklaces, viewing time as “the most important element, and when we stop, time keeps going.”
A close-up of the necklace in the video shows a simple message of support for the team, reading “Made with love by Lulu Conner. Let’s go USA WWP,” on the clock.
Ms. Steffens married Bobby in November of 2023, with Lulu, an artist, consistently showing up in support of the team, and making clocks for every member of the squad.
The preliminary rounds of the competition began over the weekend, with Ms. Steffens scoring two goals in her team’s 15-6 victory over Greece. She is the highest scoring woman in Olympic history with 58 goals.
“It definitely helps to play,” Ms. 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 percent to everything she did.”
In an eerily similar sequence of events, Coach Adam Krikorian lost his brother, Blake, during the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and flew home to be with family prior to the team’s first game.
He explained that what Ms. Steffens and her family need right now is support, love, and time to be able to experience the wave of emotions.
“You know when it happens, it’s like all the emotions come pouring back to you. You might not feel these emotions that often, but then they just come rushing back,” he said.
“You just show her love and support ... You know it’s important that she’s there for Bobby and his family, as well. This is a difficult time for them, and giving her some freedom to be able to spend some time with them I think is enormously important.”
The United States faced off against Spain earlier Monday, falling short 13-11 and suffering their second loss at an Olympic Games in more than a decade.
Team USA returns to the pool on Wednesday against Italy.
