Building a New Life
With the oppressive influence of Constantin Panait finally lifted, Nadia Comăneci could begin rebuilding her life. She reconnected with people she knew in America and started a new chapter. After Alexandru Stefu’s tragic death in a snorkeling accident, she sought support elsewhere.
Comăneci found a lifeline in Paul Ziert, the gymnastics coach who had guided Bart Conner. Ziert and his family invited her to live in Norman, Oklahoma, which proved to be a turning point. Comăneci hired Ziert as her manager and asked him for Bart Conner’s telephone number, leading to regular conversations with her former acquaintance. By 1994, their relationship had matured, and Conner proposed during a trip to Amsterdam together. Comăneci enthusiastically accepted the proposal, and the couple began planning their wedding, marking a new chapter in their love story.
