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Karl-Anthony Towns's Mother in Coma After Showing Coronavirus Symptoms

Karl-Anthony Towns announced in an emotional video that his mother has been placed on a ventilator and is in a medically-induced coma after her health has deteriorated over the past week.

Elizabeth Swinton

The mother of the Timberwolves' Karl-Anthony Towns, Jacqueline Cruz, has been placed on a ventilator and is in a medically induced coma after experiencing what Towns believes to be COVID-19 complications.

The Minnesota star made the announcement in an emotional video posted to his Instagram page late Tuesday night. He said that his mother's condition has "deteriorated" daily and she has been in the hospital for the past week after he urged her to seek medical help.

"She just wasn't getting better," Towns said. "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. She was deteriorating -- and we always felt that the next medicine would help. This is the one that's going to get it done. This mixture is going to get it done."

Both of Towns's parents were hospitalized and tested for COVID-19, but his father, Karl Sr., was released and told to self-quarantine. ESPN's Malika Andrews reported that Karl Sr. tested positive for COVID-19 and is now "recovering well." The Timberwolves confirmed Andrews' report that Cruz has also tested positive for COVID-19.

According to Towns, his mother was looking to have been on the mend before she made a turn for the worse and was placed on a ventilator. He has not been able to speak to his mother since.

"We talked, and she felt she turned the corner; I felt she was turning the corner," Towns said. "I knew there was more days to come, but I felt that we were heading in the right direction. They said that she went sideways and things had went sideways quick. And her lungs were extremely getting worse and she was having trouble breathing, and they were just explaining to me that she had to be put on a ventilator. And she was getting worse and she was confused by everything, and I'm trying to talk to her about everything and encourage and stay positive, just talk through everything with her."

In the video, Towns said he hopes his story helps others during the coronavirus pandemic and that "everyone understands the severity of what's happening in the world right now." He added in the caption to his video that more medical equipment is needed, and he thanked the medical personnel who are helping his mother. 

"[My family] told me to make this video so that people 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; 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."

Donovan Mitchell of the Jazz, who tested positive for COVID-19 but is asymptomatic, sent his well wishes to Towns and his mother. 

76ers center Joel Embiid also sent his regards.

There are more than 431,100 confirmed cases of the virus globally across at least 168 countries.

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Elizabeth Swinton
ELIZABETH SWINTON

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