Sad Story Of How Karl-Anthony Towns Lost 8 Family Members To Coronavirus, Including His Mom

Karl-Anthony Towns has endured unfathomable heartbreak. In March 2020, his mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, was diagnosed with COVID-19 and placed in a medically induced coma. She passed away 19 days later, on April 13, at the age of 58.

Towns lost six more family members to COVID-19, including his grandmother, before having his own “scary” experience with the disease, which prompted him to miss 13 games early in the season. During the offseason, he was also hit by a car.  His father, Karl Sr., recovered from the virus.

The Minnesota Timberwolves player has spent 2020 mourning the deaths of his mother, Jacqueline Cruz, and six other family members as a result of coronavirus complications. In a conference call with reporters on Friday Decenber 4, 2020, Towns spoke candidly about his tragedy for the first time since their deaths.

“I’ve seen a lot of coffins in the last seven months,” Towns said. It’s a lot of responsibility on me to keep my family well informed and to make all the moves necessary to keep them safe.”