During what should be one of the best times of Maggie Steffens' life, the Olympic water polo player is mourning a family member. Her sister-in-law Lulu Conner, the younger sister of Steffens' husband, Bobby Conner, died Tuesday after traveling to Paris to support Steffens, the water polo team captain for Team USA, at the Games, People reports. Conner was just 26. It's not yet clear what happened, but Steffens says her sister-in-law had a medical emergency. "It's a nightmare, and it's completely shocking," Steffens told the AP. "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."
Steffens, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, honored her sister-in-law by dropping a bouquet of flowers in the Seine as the athletes traveled down the river during Friday's opening ceremonies. She then played with her team in Saturday's game against Greece, and says it helped to be able to play. "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," she says. "And Lulu was somebody that she gave 150% to everything she did." Conner, an artist, made a version of Flavor Flav's USA Water Polo clock for everyone on the women's water polo team. (The rapper is the team's official hype man and honored Conner on X.)