Karl-Anthony Towns revealed to the world that his family had been struck with the coronavirus, noting that both of his parents had contracted the deadly illness. The basketball star's father, Karl Sr., has since recovered from COVID-19 but KAT's mother Jacqueline Cruz is still fighting for her life. According to John Calipari, the head coach of the University of Kentucky men's team, where Towns played college ball, the athlete's mother remains in critical condition.
"Ms. Jackie, Karl-Anthony Towns’ mother, is still in that hospital fighting. She’s there," said Calipari during a live-stream on Facebook this week. "We get updates, every single day we get an update from Karl Sr. about how she’s doing from the nurses at the ICU. Keep praying for her, send her unbelievably positive thoughts. I can’t wait until she gets out of that hospital. It’s been a tough road."
Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images
From his wording, it would appear as though Calipari and Towns believe she will make a full recovery.
Karl-Anthony posted a video on his Instagram page several weeks ago, detailing the severity of the coronavirus and how it affected his family so severely.
"WE CAN BEAT THIS, BUT THIS IS SERIOUS AND WE NEED TO TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION," wrote the forward.
Continue praying for Ms. Jackie!
View this post on InstagramNBA Player Karl-Anthony Towns Reveals Mom In Coma Due To Coronavirus
Karl-Anthony Towns reveals that his mother is in a coma after suffering complications due to the Coronavirus.
Last night, Minnesota Timberwolves player Karl-Anthony Towns took to his Instagram to share a video stressing the importance of taking Coronavirus precautions seriously, opting to share his own story in the process. "WE CAN BEAT THIS, BUT THIS IS SERIOUS AND WE NEED TO TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION," he wrote in the IG caption.
The 24-year old NBA player revealed to his 2.8 million followers that his mother is currently in a medically-induced coma due to COVID-19. "I think it's important that everyone understands the severity of what's happening in the world right now, with this Coronavirus," he says at the outset of the video clip, in which he looks visibly rattled. He reveals that last week both of his parents fell ill, and he urged them to go to the hospital and get tested for Coronavirus. He goes on to explain how his father was sent home to self-isolate, while his mother could not leave, her condition continued to deteriorate. Her fever remained high, her lungs and cough were getting worse, meanwhile medical professionals were doing all they could. Although there was at one point a glimmer of hope that she was improving, things went "sideways." Eventually they had to put her on a ventilator, Towns explains, clearly upset. "It came to a point where...It's been difficult. It's been very difficult for me and my family to say the least. She's the head of our household, she's the boss. She's been in a medically-induced coma," he confirms.
He ends the video by reminding us all what we already know and what we already should all be doing: social distancing, and on an optimistic note he tells us that we will beat this, and we will win. Check it out below.
We're sending our best wishes to Karl-Anthony Towns and his family during this immensely difficult time.