(CNN) Minnesota Timberwolves player Karl-Anthony Towns took to Instagram to share his mother's fight with Covid-19 in hopes it would encourage others to follow precautions to stop its spread.

"This disease is real," he said. "This disease needs not to be taken lightly. Please protect your families, your loved ones, your friends, yourself."

Even before his mother was put into a medically induced coma, Towns and his family took the virus seriously.

Towns learned last week that both of his parents weren't feeling well, and he urged them to seek medical attention immediately, he said. After days of no improvement, they went to a hospital.

Read More