NBA All Star Karl-Anthony Towns lost his mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, to COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic in April 2020. In the year that followed, he lost a total of eight family members to COVID-19 complications, and he was later hospitalized with the illness in 2021.
The New York Knicks center, 30, told USA TODAY that he doesn’t want anyone else to go through the grief and guilt he experienced after their passing. In partnership with the Sanofi, the manufacturers of the COVID-19 vaccine "Nuvaxovid," he’s using his story to advocate for preventive measures.
“I want to make sure people understand that this is still something out there,” he said. “I want to make sure everyone’s protected and informed that there are options to help
them protect themselves.”
Towns said prevention is especially important to him as someone who is “high-risk.” Both Towns and his sister have asthma, and after losing their mother, he chose to take extra steps to protect himself by keeping up to date with the COVID-19 vaccine. He not only wants to stay healthy for himself – but to be there for his loved ones, including wife Jordyn Woods, and his teammates as they come off an NBA championship season.
“I want to be my best so I can take care of everyone that I love and care for so deeply (in) the best possible way I can. To do that, I need to be healthy,” he shared.
How major life moments intersected with Towns' grief
Grief often comes in waves, but celebrations or important life moments can make it feel more prounounced. For Towns, he had two major milestones in 2026 intersect with that grief: winning an NBA Championship for the Knicks – the team's first in 53 years – and marrying Jordyn Woods.
“There’s no one more I would’ve wanted to celebrate that moment physically with than my mother,” he said of the Knicks’ win on June 13.
“You have to remember the beginning,” he continued. “After the celebration and the adrenaline kicks off, you realize how much you sacrificed to make this happen.” He wishes his mother, who had supported him throughout his career, could have been there to see his “entire career lead up to this moment.”
“You look back and you have to be willing to accept the price that comes with greatness. It’s a tough pill to swallow,” he shared. “Obviously the celebrations and everything make distractions happen for yourself, but I understood what I had to give up to get to this place in life.”
Woods has been a support system for Towns through the ups and downs. The pair wed in Malibu on Aug. 16.
“I'm very fortunate to have a wife that believes in me and sees how much I sacrifice for everyone,” he said of their relationship.
Towns says taking control of your health takes 'courage'
Towns knows he has a platform, and he wants to use it to help people be the healthiest and best possible versions of themselves.
His leadership style has always been one of service.
“I truly believe that. I feel that’s my calling, whether that's to use the game of basketball to serve others, or be able to use this platform to serve others,” he said. Talking about COVID-19 and sharing his story is just one of his ways to put that into practice for both his loved ones, and also the “amazing fans and everyone who has followed my journey and feels inspired.”
“I want to make sure that I give them options and information that may save a life,” he shared, encouraging others to inquire about the COVID-19 vaccine with a trusted physician.
Just taking the first step to speak to a doctor about your medical history and health concerns takes a lot of “courage,” he added. “I respect the people who are making that effort every single day to be the best they can for themselves.”
He also commended those who are hesitant, but newly considering making the jump: “I think that’s a very amazing move.”
“This is what it’s all about,” he said. “It’s about taking care of each other.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns on navigating grief after sudden family deaths
