Caitlin Clark’s injury-ridden season has thrown a big twist into the Indiana Fever’s plans for the 2025 WNBA season. Expecting to make a deep playoff run, the Fever are now scrambling to stay in the playoff positions. Out of action since the July 15 game against the Connecticut Sun, CC has always remained on her teammates and has supported her from the courtside. 

However, for their crucial game against the Connecticut Sun, Caitlin Clark has not travelled with the team. When asked, the team officials declined to comment on the reason for her absence. But Cailtin Clark’s boyfriend, Connon McCaffery’s recent Instagram post seems to have answered all the questions. 

What personal tragedy did Connor McCaffery, Caitlin Clark’s boyfriend, experience?

Connor McCaffery’s grandmother, Marit Smaby-Nowlin, tragically passed away on August 13. According to reports, she was found unresponsive in Lake Vermilion near Blueberry Island in northern Minnesota. According to the Star Tribune, the local police received a 911 call about a woman in distress. When they arrived on the scene, they found Marit unresponsive, and despite their efforts to revive her, they couldn’t. 

Last night, Connor made a post on Instagram and mourned her death. He wrote about the profound loss and how much Marit had meant to him and his family. The post included a picture of him as a child with his grandma and an emotional caption. He wrote, “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 ❤️❤️❤️🕊️🕊️🕊️”

Who was Marit Smaby-Nowlin and what is known about her passing?

Connor McCaffery’s grandmother, Marit Smaby-Nowlin, was a resident of St. Paul and was married to Forrest Nowlin. She was the mother of four daughters. Her daughter Kate Nowlin is an actress/writer who has appeared in movies such as Young Adult and The Hunt. Her daughter, Margaret Nowlin, is a former Notre Dame basketball star.

Her sister, Jan Smaby, is the original co-host of KTCA’s Almanac, a popular weekly public affairs TV show in the Minnesota area. She was raised in a family of public servants as her father, Alpha Smaby, was a former state legislator. She attended Minneapolis Marshal High School and was a graduate of the 1963 class. According to her daughter, her mother was a beacon of positivity in her community. 

She was an active member of her church leadership and was also a 50-year member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in downtown Minneapolis.

After the first responders couldn’t revive her, she was taken to Cook Hospital. However, she was pronounced dead. As of now, the authorities have not released the cause of death.