Karl-Anthony Towns' father 'recovering well' after coronavirus diagnosis, agent says
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
An agent for Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns on Wednesday gave a promising update on the center’s father, Karl Towns Sr., who was diagnosed with coronavirus.
Jessica Holtz told ESPN that Karl Towns Sr. was “recovering well” while in quarantine.
UTAH JAZZ'S JOE INGLES SAYS HE'D DROP NBA CAREER TO PROTECT AUTISTIC SON FROM CORONAVIRUS THREAT
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Karl-Anthony Towns revealed in a video Tuesday that his mother, Jacqueline Cruz, was in a medically induced coma and was on a ventilator while she was battling what he and his family believed was COVID-19. The team later confirmed that Cruz was diagnosed with the coronavirus.
Towns said Tuesday his father had also tested positive for the virus.
He released a six-minute video urging fans and his followers to take the virus seriously.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
CELTICS' ENES KANTER WAS WORRIED ABOUT CORONAVIRUS CONTRACTION AFTER NBA'S SEASON SUSPENSION
“I think it's important that everyone understands the severity of what's happening in the world right now with the coronavirus, and I think where my life is right now could help, so I decided to do this video and give you an update of where I'm at,” Towns said.
“I was told early last week my parents weren't feeling well. My first reaction to her was to go seek medical attention immediately. There's no reason to wait, just go to the nearest hospital. And after a couple days of not showing any signs of improvement, I was very adamant on the first day to go to a hospital and seek further evaluation."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
“Specifically, my sister told her she needs to get checked for corona. I don't think anyone really understood what it was, with deteriorating condition. She kept getting worse, she kept getting worse, and the hospital was doing everything they can.
TRAIL BLAZERS' CJ MCCOLLUM CAUTIONS FANS TO TAKE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK 'SERIOUSLY'
“She just wasn't getting better. Her fever was never cutting from 103, maybe go down to 101.9 with the meds, and 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. She was deteriorating -- and we always felt that the next medicine would help. This is the one that's going to get it done. This mixture is going to get it done.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Towns said he and his family assumed his mother had come down with COVID-19 because of her symptoms. He said she started to feel better before her health started to deteriorate further.
DALLAS MAVERICKS OWNER MARK CUBAN OPTIMISTIC ABOUT NBA'S RETURN DESPITE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
“She was feeling great,” Towns said. “We talked, and she felt she turned the corner; I felt she was turning the corner. I knew there was more days to come, but I felt that we were heading in the right direction. They said that she went sideways and things had went sideways quick. And her lungs were extremely getting worse, and she was having trouble breathing and they were just explaining to me that she had to be put on a ventilator. And she was getting worse, and she was confused by everything, and I'm trying to talk to her about everything and encourage and stay positive, just talk through everything with her.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}
Towns said he was asked to make the video to make sure people know that the virus is real.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
“This disease needs to not be taken lightly,” he said. “Please protect your families, your loved ones, your friends, yourself. Practice social distancing. Please don't be in places with a lot of people; it just heightens your chances of getting this disease and this disease ... it's deadly. It's deadly. And we're going to keep fighting on my side, me and my family, we're going to keep fighting this. We're going to beat it; we're going to win.”