The No. 1 hype man for the United States women’s water polo team, Flavor Flav, is wearing a special clock chain as the Americans’ quest for Olympic gold continues this morning with a group-stage match against Italy.
The clock was made by the sister-in-law of team captain Maggie Steffens, Lulu Conner, who died suddenly last week at age 26 after arriving in Paris to support the team.
Lulu’s brother, Bobby – Steffens’ husband – presented Flavor Flav with the clock in an Instagram post. The caption read, “Made with love by Lulu Conner.”
Steffens, a former star at Monte Vista High in Danville and Stanford who is seeking her fourth Olympic gold medal, called Lulu’s death a “medical emergency.”
On Tuesday, a day after the Americans suffered a rare Olympic loss, falling to Spain in group play, the Conner family issued a statement about Lulu through USA water polo.
It read:
“Lulu passed away on July 24th in Paris, shortly after arriving to support her sister in law, Maggie Steffens, and the US Women’s Water Polo team. At this point in time, we still do not know what caused her death.
“Lulu loved Maggie and her teammates, and was extremely excited to be supporting them here in Paris. It wouldn’t be unusual to see Lulu in the stands, decked out in USA gear, dancing at timeouts, and leading chants. In finding out that Flavor Flav was the official USWWP hype man, Lulu crafted customized clock chains to be worn in a show of support for the team. Lulu embodied the Olympic spirit: joy, peace, bringing people together, and making the most of each moment. In an effort to honor Lulu’s spirit and enthusiasm, members of our family that are currently in Paris plan to continue attending and cheering loudly at USWWP games.
“While we are so grateful for the outpouring of support and love seeing stories shared about Lulu, we ask that our immediate family’s privacy is respected at this difficult time. We also encourage everyone to make an effort to “live like Lu”, leading with kindness and compassion.”
