Three-time Olympic gold medallist Maggie Steffens paid tribute to her late sister-in-law, Lulu Conner in an Instagram post, Saturday, revealing the 26-year-old had suddenly died in Paris.
Conner died after traveling to the Paris Olympics to cheer on Steffens, suffering what the Olympic water polo player called a “medical emergency,” according to the Associated Press. No cause of death was provided.
Conner was a fan of the entire U.S. water polo team, so much so that she made a water polo clock chain for fellow water polo booster, Flavor Flav, according to the Associated Press.
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Conner passed at the age of 26 on July 24, according to Steffens’ post.
“She was so excited for the Olympic Games,” Steffens told the Associated Press through her tears. “She’s the light of the world. She just brings so much joy to everyone.”
On Saturday, Steffens posted three photos of her and Conner through the years.
The first was a selfie of the two, the caption read: “Wedding dress shopping in NYC just me and you, CAN’T WAIT TO BE SISTERS!”
Steffens and Bobby Conner, Lulu’s older brother, were married last November in Puerto Rico.
The second, a Polaroid of Conner and Steffens along with other women with a caption that read: “Getting ready suite 11/11 in San Juan, OFFICIALLY SISTERS! 🥰”
Finally, a photo of both the Conner and Steffens families standing together, with a caption that read: “One big family of Steffens & Conners & more living like Lu 🙌🏼 Super support team during this extremely difficult time. 🙏🏼❤️”
“It’s going to be a really hard couple weeks for all of us,” Steffens told the Associated Press, adding that “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.”
“And Lulu is here. She’s here [in Paris],” Steffens told People.
Fans gave an outpouring of condolences and well wishes in the comments to Steffens’ post.
“Oh Mags sending hugs to you and Bobby. Heroes are remembered but legends never die and that smile of Lu’s is legendary,” one fan wrote.
“So sorry for your great loss. I lost a sister too so I know your pain. We are thinking of you,” another wrote.
