Karl-Anthony Towns speaks on ‘toughest year of my life’ following mom’s death from COVID-19
The Minnesota Timberwolves center sat down for a tearful interview with Natalie Manuel Lee of Hillsong Channel
NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns on Monday posted a video online chronicling his life in 2020, revealing how the global pandemic has impacted his life.
The nearly 20-minute YouTube video, titled “The Toughest Year Of My Life,” opens with shots from the beginning of the year of the Minnesota Timberwolves center playing basketball and sounds of commentators discussing his talents before Towns appears and speaks about how his family was affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
In the tearful video interview with Now with Natalie host Natalie Manuel Lee, Towns, 24, reveals details about the day he found out his mother, Jackie Towns, succumbed to complications of the disease that has shaken the world.
Read More: NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns’ mother passes away from COVID-19
Towns had been monitoring his mother’s situation as much as he could until his father called on April 13 to let him know his mother had a stroke and would not survive.
“He was just like, ‘She’s gone. She had a stroke during the night and she’s gone.’ I said, ‘Has she taken a step back? What’s the next step?’ Because in my mind, I’m just thinking about [next] steps,” Towns said.
The doctors told Towns and his family that after her episode, recovery was not a possibility. Towns and his family made the decision to take their matriarch off of life support.
“I gave her all the time, and I made the hardest decision you can make. I called my sister, I told her the decision I made was. You’ve got to live with that. I made that decision,” said Towns, who was raised in New Jersey before playing college hoops for the University of Kentucky.
His father is Black and his mother was Dominican.
Towns has posted candid videos about his mother’s situation in the past. In April, he begged his followers to be cautious saying, “This disease needs to not be taken lightly. Please protect your family and your loved ones, your friends, yourself.”
Read More: NBA’s Karl-Anthony Towns, Jordyn Woods debut new relationship
After the video was posted, Twitter was alight with condolences and sympathies.
“I know this personally and my prayers go out to @KarlTowns. It really is a day by day process. Having great friends and family really helps,” wrote one user.
“Lost my mother to cancer in my mid twenties and my Father passed away shortly after..That feeling never goes away. You will feel it everyday. But to know that ur heart still beats because of them; you will find peace continuing to spread the values they instilled in you,” another said.
Watch the full video below:
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