I've been trying for some days now to find a picture that I took over a decade ago when I first met Margo, but without success... I took it at the European Championship in Poland 1999 when I was allowed to travel with the women's nationalteam on injured reserve. It was the year when Margo won the gold medal with Poland.
At tournaments like these, it's usually on the last day that all players mingle to catch up or meet for the first time... and that's when I "met" Margo for the first time.
As a youngster (18 years old) I was in a constant state of awe during the whole tournament.
And needless to say when I got a chance to take a picture with the lady that led Poland to the Championship, I was super excited. I remember feeling a little bad too, though, because I thought that maybe many people asked her to take a picture due to her height. But if you know me, at the end of the day that didn't keep me from taking a snapshot for the memories book... and now hearing and reading all the stories about Margo, I know she didn't mind either :)
The next time I met Margo was in the WNBA, about 4 years later... on my way from the gym to the hotel room, I had gotten lost in the kitchen/washing-machine area of the Mohegan Sun Hotel... when all of a sudden, Margo came around the corner. She immediately talked to me... (did she remember me from the picture years back?). She was absolutely sweet and I remember thinking, when I grow up, I wanna be like that.
So that was almost 10 years ago now... after that we'd meet again in Europe playing against each other, but never together. I guess with those two encounters that we've had I received enough of the Margo-spirit. Reading all the facebook comments and articles, I see that that woman had a lot to give, and that now a lot was taken from her family and friends.
So I am going to close now by sending my heart and prayer out to Margo's husband, her young kids and family, and all those who are mourning her loss.
With Margo closing her eyes forever now, it should be a wake-up call for all of us.
A wake-up call to remember what's important in life. LOVE. Love those who are around you. Appreciate them. And in the spirit of Margo: Just be nice to people.
Rest in peace.
At tournaments like these, it's usually on the last day that all players mingle to catch up or meet for the first time... and that's when I "met" Margo for the first time.
As a youngster (18 years old) I was in a constant state of awe during the whole tournament.
And needless to say when I got a chance to take a picture with the lady that led Poland to the Championship, I was super excited. I remember feeling a little bad too, though, because I thought that maybe many people asked her to take a picture due to her height. But if you know me, at the end of the day that didn't keep me from taking a snapshot for the memories book... and now hearing and reading all the stories about Margo, I know she didn't mind either :)
The next time I met Margo was in the WNBA, about 4 years later... on my way from the gym to the hotel room, I had gotten lost in the kitchen/washing-machine area of the Mohegan Sun Hotel... when all of a sudden, Margo came around the corner. She immediately talked to me... (did she remember me from the picture years back?). She was absolutely sweet and I remember thinking, when I grow up, I wanna be like that.
So that was almost 10 years ago now... after that we'd meet again in Europe playing against each other, but never together. I guess with those two encounters that we've had I received enough of the Margo-spirit. Reading all the facebook comments and articles, I see that that woman had a lot to give, and that now a lot was taken from her family and friends.
So I am going to close now by sending my heart and prayer out to Margo's husband, her young kids and family, and all those who are mourning her loss.
With Margo closing her eyes forever now, it should be a wake-up call for all of us.
A wake-up call to remember what's important in life. LOVE. Love those who are around you. Appreciate them. And in the spirit of Margo: Just be nice to people.
Rest in peace.
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| In Russia: Margo suited up for Ekaterinburg and me for Spartak Moscow |
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| Here she played for Ros Casares while I represented Fenerbahce |
