Timberwolves’ Towns says mother is in medically-induced coma with COVID-19 symptoms

The mother of Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns is in a medically-induced coma fighting an ongoing battle against symptoms of COVID-19.

Towns posted an emotional six-minute video to his Instagram account early Wednesday morning explaining his mother’s condition.

"I just think it’s important that everyone understand the severity of what’s happening in the world right now with this coronavirus," Towns says at the start of the video. "I think where my life is right now could help, so I decided to do this video."

View this post on Instagram

Sharing my story in the hopes that everyone stays at home! We need more equipment and we need to help those medical personnel on the front lines. Thank you to the medical staff who are helping my mom. You are all the true heroes! Praying for all of us at this difficult time.

A post shared by Karl-Anthony Towns (@karltowns) on Mar 24, 2020 at 9:48pm PDT

In the video, Towns says his mother, Jacqueline Cruz, and father, Karl Towns Sr., both began to feel symptoms early last week and went to a hospital to be tested.

Towns Sr. was eventually discharged and remains in mandatory quarantine at home, but Cruz remained hospitalized.

Towns explains after initial symptoms of fever, coughing and discomfort there was a stage in which his mother’s condition improved, but says, "she went sideways… her lungs were extremely getting worse and she was having trouble breathing."

He says Cruz was placed on a ventilator as her condition deteriorated.

"My mother is the strongest woman I know," Towns says in concluding the video. "I know she’ll beat this and we’re gonna rejoice when she does."

Towns previously announced a $100,000 donation to the Mayo Clinic to support the fight against COVID-19.