Karl-Anthony Towns tells of unimaginable loss of seven family members due to COVID-19, including his mother

Donovan Dooley|published: Fri 4th December, 16:58 2020

Back when he was with the Kentucky Wildcats, Karl-Anthony Towns (middle) and teammate and current Phoenix Sun Devin Booker take a selfie with Karl-Anthony’s girlfriend, left, India Gentry and Towns’ mother Jacqueline Cruz-Towns back in 2015. Cruz-Towns passed away in April due to COVID source: AP

Karl-Anthony Towns revealed Friday that his life has been hell on Earth since the pandemic began.

Towns was speaking to a group of reporters during the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Zoom media availability when he opened up about losing seven of his family members to COVID-19, including his mother, Jacqueline Cruz, in April.

“I’ve never been in a mentally good place since (his mother) went in the hospital...I wouldn’t say (basketball) is therapy for me at all,” Towns said.

“I’m the one looking for answers to try to keep my family well informed and make all the moves necessary to keep them alive.”

Like many people in this country, Towns is grappling with the pandemic’s human carnage.

It’s beyond awful.

The United States yesterday reached an all-time high in daily confirmed cases and deaths. Yesterday, there were over 216,548 documented cases and 2,857 deaths. Roughly a third of all daily cases confirmed globally yesterday were in the United States.

To put this entire thing into perspective, the United States is only 4 percent of the world’s population.

In that press conference, Towns briefly touched on his relationship with teammate Ricky Rubio who also dealt with his mother’s unexpected death when she passed away in 2016. Towns said he was there to support Rubio, and now he is dealing with the same loss.

“I’ve been through this with him and his mom,” Towns said. “And now we’re going through this with mine.”

Prayers out to KAT and his family. Everyone please wear a mask.