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(FILES) In this April 10, 2018 file photo, Karl-Anthony Towns # 32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves hugs his parents, Karl and Jacqueline Towns, after winning the game against the Denver Nuggets at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets 112-106. – Jacqueline Towns, mother of Minnesota Center Timberwolves Karl-Anthony Towns, died on April 13, 2020 of complications from the coronavirus, the NBA team announced. (Photo by Hannah Foslien / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
MINNEAPOLIS – Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, the mother of central Minnesota Timberwolves Karl-Anthony Towns, died Monday of complications from COVID-19 after more than a month of fighting the virus. She was 59 years old.
The Timberwolves made the announcement through the Towns family, who requested privacy. Karl Towns Sr., the father of the two-time All-Star player, was also hospitalized with the virus, but has since recovered.
Originally from the Dominican Republic, Cruz-Towns has been present at the Timberwolves games since the beginning of her son’s NBA career. He was the first overall pick in the 2015 draft outside of Kentucky.
“Jackie was many things to many people: wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend,” said the Towns family statement. “She was an incredible source of strength; an ardent, loving and extremely loving person who touched everyone he met. His passion was palpable and his energy will never be replaced. “
The family expressed their gratitude to the “warriors” at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia and the JFK Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey, the hospitals where he received care.
After their parents first felt sick at home in New Jersey, Towns and her sister urged them to seek immediate medical attention and to be tested for the virus. Towns posted an emotional video to his Instagram account on March 24, revealing that his mother was in a medically induced coma. She had been hospitalized after the high fever and cough persisted. After some improvements, Towns said last month, his situation “went sideways” quickly.
He, too, in that video message, passionately called on people to stay home to help stop the spread of the virus. COVID-19 has particularly hit the East Coast, with death toll in New York State alone exceeding 10,000.
“This disease need not be taken lightly. Protect your families, your loved ones, your friends, yourself. Practice social distancing. Please don’t be in crowded places, “said Towns, who donated $ 100,000 last month to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota for the COVID-19 test.
The Timberwolves expressed their condolences for the woman they considered part of their family.
“As Karl’s number one fanatic, Jackie provided him with constant, positive energy and was loved by our entire organization and staff at Target Center,” the team said.
Kentucky coach John Calipari, who remained close to the Towns family after turning professional, said on Twitter that receiving the news from Towns and his father was one of the most difficult phone calls he has ever had to answer.
“Mrs. Jackie was an angel and we were lucky to have her in our lives,” Calipari tweeted.
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