Caitlin Clark Offers Quiet Support After Boyfriend’s Family Tragedy

Caitlin Clark Offers Quiet Support After Boyfriend’s Family Tragedy originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark showed her support for her boyfriend Connor McCaffery, who mourned a family loss on Saturday.

On Instagram, McCaffery shared an emotional tribute for his grandmother, Marit Smaby Nowlin, who passed away earlier in the week.

McCaffery — who serves as an assistant coach for Butler — expressed his sadness over the tragedy, sharing a photo of himself as a young child while sitting on his grandma's lap. He wrote in the caption: "I’ve been trying to think of what to say and I can’t. It’s impossible to put into words how much you meant to our entire family. I refuse to say goodbye, so until we meet again."

Clark, for her part, was quick to offer her love and condolences to her partner. In the comment section, she wrote several heart and prayer emojis to show support and remind McCaffery that she's there for him.

Caitlin Clark reacts to the death of Connor McCaffery's grandmother. pic.twitter.com/zdCASyHaBq

— Kit Espina (@KeithEspino22) August 17, 2025

Several other people offered support and prayers for McCaffery and his family, including Clark's Fever teammate Lexie Hull, who commented heart emojis.

Death of Connor McCaffery's Grandmother

According to the obituary for Marit Smaby Nowlin on O'Halloran & Murphy Funeral and Cremation Services' website, Marit Smaby Nowlin "passed away in her favorite place on earth on August 13th, 2025 at the age of 80 years."

Further reports stated that she was on vacation and visiting Lake Vermilion, where she was found unresponsive on Wednesday. According to The Minnesota Star Tribune, first responders were informed of the incident through a 911 call before 6 p.m. on the said day. When they arrived at the scene, family members were found attempting to revive her.

She was brought to Cook Hospital but unfortunately did not survive. No official cause of death has been revealed.

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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 17, 2025, where it first appeared.