"It's been quite a series. I was so proud and so excited for that team and relieved," said Heather Stewart, Breanna Stewart's mother.
It was also a proud moment for her father.
"I had anxiety for all of them but especially in that moment when Brianna had to hit those two free throws," said Brian Stewart, Breanna Stewart's father. "I knew that was on her mind and I was just so I was so relieved that she made them for her sake more than anything."
It was during Breanna's childhood, that her parents saw a special spark and knew she could be destined for basketball greatness.
"She started playing basketball when she was 8, it was maybe three or four years later, that Brian recognized she's got some skills and talent," Heather said.
"When she went down and competed with some players on the Philly Bells. She was two or three years younger than everybody else," Brian said. "She held her own against girls that already had division 1 scholarships that's when we knew she was, oh boy."
Still, sometimes the family counts on a little bit of luck when it comes to game day for the NY Liberty.
"I'm pretty superstitious," Heather said. "I have to wear the same shorts, same jersey, no hat. Yeah."
"I actually have a personal connection to Brianna Stewart. We go to the same dentist in Brooklyn," Marza said. "She's 6'4" and that's impressive in person."
Marza shared with her parents that his own daughter who plays basketball was wearing Breanna's jersey as she won the championship. It was very special for her parents to see the influence their daughter has on her young fans.
"As a mom just to see that. It's pretty emotional for me that there are kids looking up to our daughter as a role model and they can do the same. Yeah, it's pretty amazing," Heather said.
The 2024 TCS New York City Marathon takes place Sunday, November 3, drawing more than 50,000 runners and will be televised in the New York area live on WABC-TV Channel 7 beginning with pre-race coverage at 7:00 a.m.
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