Water polo champion Maddie Musselman of Newport Beach explains what it was like to train for her third Olympics while caring for her cancer-stricken husband. Lynette Romero reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Thursday, August 1, 2024.
“Live in grace. Walk in love.”
That’s the motto that Maddie Musselman is trying to live by these days as she aims to win her third Olympic gold medal as a member of the U.S. women’s water polo team while carrying her husband in her heavy heart as he battles a rare form of lung cancer.
Musselman, who was named MVP for the women’s water polo section of the Tokyo Olympics, is no stranger to overcoming challenges, but learning her then-fiancé, who had just swam across the English Channel, had cancer was an unexpected curveball.
“There (are) fears and doubts that creep in, but I don't think they possess my mind all the time,” the UCLA alumna said. “And I think our faith is a huge part of that.”
It seemed as though Musselman and her husband, Pat Woepse, were destined for each other when they met at a friend's wedding in 2022.
The following year, the two got married largely because life forced them onto an unexpected path.
“It's a stage four lung cancer specific mutation,” Woepse, who also played water polo at UCLA, said. “At that time I didn't know what that meant.”
The couple quickly learned Pat’s life was now measured in months.
With everything being turned upside down, the couple, who had gotten engaged a few months prior, chose to take on cancer together.
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“With Pat’s diagnosis, we decided we wanted to get married as soon as possible,” Musselman explained. “All the people that came together to make it happen within four days – it was pretty crazy. We had flowers. We had a church that welcomed us with open arms to marry us. It was just a perfect weekend.”
Musselman, who is leading the world’s best women’s water polo team, uncharacteristically wanted to pause her Olympic training at times as she felt torn between being with her husband while he goes through chemotherapy and practicing with her team.
“There are times where I wanted to be with him, but he’s like, ‘No, you have to go to practice,’” she said. “Obviously I want him to know that I’m there, but yeah, it’s been hard.”
Pat also stayed motivated to gain strength while undergoing chemo treatment as he was determined to watch his wife play in Paris.
And he did.
He watched his wife lead the U.S. women’s water polo team beat Greece this week.
“This was my biggest goal, with everything being so unknown,” Woepse said after the game. “So pretty emotional, emotional day for me. Couldn’t be more thrilled to be here to support Maddie and the team.
Musselman said she decided to share the couple’s private cancer journey publicly in hopes of inspiring others.
“We're sharing our story not for people to feel sorry for us or feel bad for what we're going through,” the Olympian said. “If anything it's for inspiration and that you can get to the other side of things With the people that are right next to you, we hope for that.”
