NBA's Karl-Anthony Towns mother passes away due to coronavirus

WASHINGTON (SBG) -- Jacqueline Cruz, the mother of NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, died after complications from the coronavirus, according to a statement from a Towns family spokesman.

Cruz, a native of the Dominican Republic, was 58.

"Jackie was many things to many people - a wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend," the family said in a statement. She was described as "the matriarch of the Towns family" and an extremely loving person who touched everyone she met.

In a March 25 Instagram post, Towns, revealed his mother was in a medically induced coma and was on a ventilator due to the virus.

He also revealed his father, Karl Towns Sr., tested positive for the virus but was released from the hospital and quarantined.

The NBA and basketball community, including Towns' college coach John Calipari, offered their condolences on social media Monday afternoon:

According to the statement, the Towns family has requested privacy during the time of mourning.