Lynx forward Damiris Dantas' aunt passed away

In mid-August, Minnesota Lynx forward Damiris Dantas left the team to attend to a family matter back at her home in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She returned last week and eventually practiced with the team, but there was still a chance that she could have missed the conference finals as of last Wednesday, according to Kent Youngblood of the Star-Tribune.

In hindsight, that didn't happen: Dantas played in both Games 1 and 2 of the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Mercury, albeit in limited action. But it appears that the reason for her absence to begin with was her aunt passed away recently.

Here's a post from her Instagram account on Saturday:

And here's the quote that came with it (in Portuguese):

Difícil de acreditar ! Dói saber que vou voltar pra ksa , e vc não vai estar me esperando, pra contar piadas,fazer perguntas e me chamar de Damice, bbzao ! Entre outras coisas que só vc sabia fazer. Apreendi tantas coisas com vc Tia Rose obrigada por ter feito parte de minha vida e de minha história ! Terei orgulho de um dia contar para meus filhos tudo que apreendi cm vc tudo que vivemos juntas ! Agora chego sua hora de descansar, me conforta saber que vc não está mas sofrendo não está sentindo dor! Mas msm assim dói muito esse vazio aqui ! Te amo Veia loka ! Te amarei até o ultimo dia de minha vida!! Como vc msm me ensino, logo logo estaremos juntas em um novo mundo ! #saudade#tiarose#luto#amorpravidatoda#dor#. Eu vazio. Senhor cuide de minha família Pessoas que amamos não morrem, apenas partem antes de nós!

Since I am not fluent in Portuguese, I used Google Translate -- twice. A second run-through was for the hashtags. Here is the quote after Google Translate was used:

Hard to believe! It hurts to know that going back to ksa, and you will not be waiting for me, to tell jokes, ask questions and call me Damice, bbzao! Among other things that only you could do. Apprehended many things with you Aunt Rose thank you for being part of my life and my story! One day I'll be proud to tell my children that everything apprehended cm you all live together! Now its time to come to rest, comforts me to know that you are not suffering but is not in pain! But msm hurts so much that empty here! I love loka Vein! I will love you until the last day of my life !! As you msm teaching me, pretty soon we will be together in a new world! #nostalgia#mourning# AuntRose#LoveforLife#pain#. I empty. Lord take care of my family People who love do not die, just run before us!

The comments to that post were also in Portuguese, but they were all to the effect of giving their condolences.

Dantas' aunt raised her since she was nine after her mother died, according to Mike Peden of Full Court in an article last July. And in an interview with Phil Ervin of Fox Sports North, she gave a little more detail on it:

This was very difficult to accept. I miss (my mother), but she is still super important at this time of my life. I have a wonderful family that supports me in everything I do."

On Wednesday, Dantas also posted a picture on her Instagram account with a picture that said "luto" or mourning. Given that this timed alongside Youngblood's post that her family matter came up again, this may have been around the time that she learned that her aunt passed.

Our condolences to Dantas for her loss.