NBA player Karl-Anthony Towns disclosed sobering news Wednesday, when he announced that his mother has been hospitalized and placed under a medically induced coma after suffering COVID-19 symptoms.
In a video shared to Instagram, the 24-year-old said that his mother, Jacqueline Cruz, initially fell ill last week and then her symptoms “kept getting worse.” Towns said his father was also hospitalized with symptoms, but was later released and told to quarantine himself.
The Minnesota Timberwolves player said his mother, who was also put on a ventilator, “was telling me things I didn’t want to hear. I dismissed some things she was saying because it wasn’t something I wanted to hear.”
“It’s very difficult for me and my family, to say the least. She’s the head of our household, she’s the boss,” Towns added.
The NBA star added that he and his family are ready to battle this virus. For Towns, he plans to keep “my strength up for everybody and my family.”
“Me and my family, we’re going to keep fighting this,” he added.
We’re gonna win.”
“Life may keep throwing punches at me, but I’m gonna keep getting back up and I ain’t gonna quit at any time, and neither will my whole family and neither will my mother,” Towns continued. “My mother is the strongest woman I know, and I know she’ll beat this. And we’re gonna rejoice when she does.”
Towns said he’s only sharing his story “in the hopes that everyone stays at home!”
During his five-minute video, the NBA player also made sure to thank “the medical staff who are helping my mom. You are all the true heroes! Praying for all of us at this difficult time.”
Other celebrities who are affected by the coronavirus, which has infected more than 55,000 Americans so far with more than 800 recorded deaths, include Idris Elba, his wife Sabrina, along with many NBA players such as Rudy Gobert and Kevin Durant.
