Maggie Steffens confirmed in a statement to the Associated Press that her sister-in-law Lulu Conner passed away on Tuesday after traveling to Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
The 31-year-old athlete is the captain of Team U.S.A.'s women's water polo team, and lost Lulu, the younger sister of her husband Bobby Conner, days before the Games began.
Lulu traveled with Maggie's family to watch and cheer her on at the Games, and died suddenly at only 26. The cause of her death is unclear at the moment, although Maggie has described it as a "medical emergency."
While the family was still getting their bearings after the tragic loss, a tearful Maggie told the outlet: "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."
Maggie led her team to victory on Saturday, July 27 during their first preliminary round match, beating Greece to make their way into the quarter-finals. She confessed that being able to play helped ease the pain.
"It definitely helps to play," she added. "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."
Lulu is one of three siblings, with her older brother Bobby marrying the three-time Olympic gold medallist in November. She was also an artist, and made a version of the Water Polo clock worn by the team's official "hype man" Flavor Flav, which he donned in honor of her at the team's latest match.
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Maggie also mentioned that she paid tribute to her late sister-in-law by dropping a bouquet of flowers into the Seine during the Games' opening ceremony on July 26 while on the boat with the rest of the American delegate.
"It's going to be a really hard couple weeks for all of us," she noted. "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."
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"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."
Coach Adam Krikorian also spoke on the matter, having been through similar circumstances when he lost his brother Blake right before the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. "You know when it happens, it's like all the emotions come pouring back to you."
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"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 give her some freedom to be able to spend some time with them I think is enormously important."