Basketball

Mother of Timberwolves' Karl-Anthony Towns in medically-induced coma with coronavirus

By Kevin Mercer Mar 25, 2020
Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

In the early hours of the morning Wednesday, Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves posted a video on his social media accounts detailing how the global coronavirus outbreak has left his mother fighting for her life in a medically-induced coma.

He did not say specifically that his mother, Jacqueline Cruz, had been diagnosed with COVID-19, but ESPN confirmed through the Timberwolves that she indeed does have the virus.

Watch Towns’ full announcement here:

In the video, Towns explained that his parents were admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 symptoms. His father, Karl Towns Sr., was eventually released and put under a mandated quarantine, but his mother continued to deteriorate. She was extremely uncomfortable, the medications were not working and she would have to be put on a ventilator.

“I talked to her before she went there,” Towns said. “I told her I loved her. Every day I’ve always told her how much I love her.”

Towns then revealed that his mother was in a medically-induced coma.

“I wanted to make this video so that people would understand that the severity of this disease is real,” Towns said. “This disease needs to not be taken lightly. Please protect your families, your loved ones, your friends, yourself. Practice social distancing. Please don’t be in places with a lot of people.”

Towns ended with a promise that he and his family would continue to fight, and that he is with his fans in the fight too.

“Send my love to all your families,” he said. “I’m praying for every single one of you guys. Keep everyone in my thoughts and my prayers, and life may keep throwing punches at me but I’m going to keep getting back up.”

Support from fans, fellow NBA players and other celebrities has poured in since Towns’ heartfelt announcement.

Early last week, before his mother’s health worsened, Towns pledged to donate $100,000 to the Mayo Clinic to assist in getting more coronavirus tests to the public.

The 24-year-old two-time NBA All-Star, who mentions Philippians 4:13 on his social media accounts, is in his fifth year with the Timberwolves out of Kentucky.

Please join us as we pray for Karl-Anthony Towns, his family and his mother’s healing.

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