Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns announced that his mother is in a medically induced coma and on a ventilator after displaying symptoms associated with COVID-19.

In an emotional video posted to YouTube and social media Tuesday night, Towns said both of his parents were feeling poorly recently and were tested for the novel coronavirus. The two-time NBA All-Star said his father, Karl Towns, was released under mandated quarantine, but his mother, Jacqueline Cruz, was admitted to the hospital as her condition “deteriorated daily.”

“She kept getting worse, and the hospital was doing everything they can,” Towns, 24, said in the video. " I was doing everything I could. Still am, and she just wasn’t getting better. Her fever was never cutting from 103, maybe go down to 101.9 with the meds, and then immediately spike back up during the night. She was very uncomfortable. Her lungs were getting worse, her cough was getting worse.


“She was deteriorating.”

The Timberwolves confirmed Wednesday to ESPN that Cruz had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Towns was visibly upset but said he was staying upbeat for the sake of his mother and his family.

“I ain’t going to quit at any time, and neither will my whole family, neither will my mother,” he said. “Dominican women are strong, I know they are. My mother is the strongest woman I know, and I know she’ll beat this, and we’re going to rejoice when she does.”


According to sports news website the Athletic, Towns donated $100,000 to help with testing for the coronavirus before his mother fell ill.

“This disease needs to not be taken lightly,” Towns said in the video. “Please protect your families, your loved ones, your friends, yourself. Practice social distancing. Please don’t be in places with a lot of people; it just heightens your chances of getting this disease.

“And this disease, it’s deadly. It’s deadly. And we’re going to keep fighting on my side, me and my family, we’re going to keep fighting this. We’re going to beat it. We’re going to win.”