Mother of Karl-Anthony Towns Loses Covid-19 Battle

Karl-Anthony Towns has lost his mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, due to complications from the coronavirus.

Karl-Anthony Towns and the Towns family announced the news on Monday. Jacqueline Cruz-Towns was 58 and is survived by her husband, who recovered from the virus.

The parents of Karl-Anthony Towns had been sick since late March. On March 25, Towns announced that his mother was in a medically induced coma and was placed on a ventilator.

“She just wasn’t getting better,” Towns said. 

“Her fever was never cutting from 103, maybe go down to 101.9 with the meds, 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.”

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“Jackie was many things to many people — a wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend,” a Towns family spokesperson said in a statement. 

“The matriarch of the Towns family, she was an incredible source of strength; fiery, caring, and extremely loving person, who touched everyone she met. Her passion was palpable and her energy will never be replaced.”

Jackie Cruz-Towns worked at the medical department at Rutgers University for 20 years. She has been described as her son’s number one fan.

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“Jackie provided constant and positive energy for him and was beloved by our entire organization and staff at Target Center as she supported her son and the Timberwolves,” a Timberwolves statement said. “The League, teams, and players have come together in their support of Jackie and Karl and we are grateful for our NBA family.”

“The Towns family is extremely grateful for the outpouring of love and support they have received during this very difficult time,” the family’s statement continued. 

“They would like to thank the medical warriors at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and JFK Medical Center, who fought for Jackie day in and day out, and helped Karl Sr. from the same virus that took Jackie’s life.

“The family is devastated by their tremendous loss, and respectfully requests privacy in this time of great mourning.”