How Karl‑Anthony Towns Tearfully Pulled His Mom’s Oxygen Mask — And Shared His Deepest Grief with the World
In the world of sports, we often see athletes as invincible. They’re tall, powerful, and seemingly untouchable. But in 2020, Karl-Anthony Towns — one of the NBA’s brightest stars — reminded us that even the strongest people can be brought to their knees. His story didn’t just shake fans — it shattered them.
This is not a story about basketball. It’s about a son who had to do the unthinkable: pull the plug on his mother’s life support. And he let the whole world see it.
The Pandemic Hits Home
In March 2020, the world was still trying to understand the new threat called COVID-19. For many, it was still just something they heard about on the news. But for Karl-Anthony Towns, the virus didn’t stay on the headlines — it came straight into his home.
His mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, started feeling sick. At first, it seemed manageable. But her condition quickly worsened. She was rushed to the hospital, and within days, she was placed in a medically induced coma. Eventually, she had to be put on a ventilator.
Karl-Anthony posted a heartfelt video on Instagram at the time. He wasn’t trying to get attention — he was warning people. In that video, you could already see the fear in his eyes. “This disease is real,” he said, begging fans to take precautions seriously. He looked broken. What the world didn’t know was that the worst was still to come.
“I Had to Pull the Plug”
Fast forward to November 2020. KAT posted a YouTube video titled “The Toughest Year of My Life.” In it, he sat alone, telling the story that no one ever wants to tell. And he didn’t sugarcoat a single detail.
He talked about how his mom had a stroke while in the coma. Doctors told him there was nothing more they could do. Her organs were shutting down. She was never going to wake up.
So they asked him and his sister to make the hardest decision anyone can face: whether to take her off life support.
With tears in his eyes, Karl-Anthony said, “At that moment, I pulled the plug.” He added, “I let her pass.”
He described how the family gathered on a video call to say goodbye. They didn’t want her final moments to be sad. “She was sent off with laughter,” he recalled, his voice shaking.
That line hit fans like a wave. The image of a mother, slipping away while hearing her loved ones laughing through tears — it was beautiful and heartbreaking all at once.
The Oxygen Mask Moment That Broke the Internet
Months later, a short clip surfaced online that made the entire NBA world go silent. In the video, Karl-Anthony is seen by his mother’s side in the hospital. He’s holding her hand. And then, in a devastating moment, he removes her oxygen mask.
He doesn’t say a word. He’s just crying. The silence in that moment speaks louder than anything he could’ve said. That one clip tore through social media. People weren’t just reacting — they were mourning with him.
“He really had to do that with his own hands,” one person wrote in the comments. “I can’t even imagine the pain.”
Others called it “the most human moment in NBA history.”
It didn’t feel like watching a celebrity. It felt like watching your own brother, your own son, going through something you wouldn’t wish on anyone.
A Changed Man
After losing his mom, Karl-Anthony wasn’t the same. And he admitted it. In one emotional press conference, he said, “I don’t recognize most of my games anymore… That Karl died on April 13.” That was the day his mother passed.
He added, “You’re talking to the physical me, but my soul has been killed off a long time ago.”
Fans saw it. The way he carried himself changed. He still played hard, still put up big numbers, but there was a weight on his shoulders. Not the weight of expectations — the weight of loss.
But he didn’t disappear. He didn’t isolate himself. He used the pain to speak out. He donated $100,000 to COVID-19 testing efforts. He kept reminding fans that the virus wasn’t a joke. He became a face of grief, but also of responsibility.
Fans Rally Around KAT
If there’s one silver lining in this tragic story, it’s how fans and fellow players responded. Social media was flooded with support.
One fan wrote:
“KAT didn’t have to share any of this with us. But he did. He made us feel every ounce of his pain. That’s real strength.”
Even rival players reached out. Kyrie Irving defended him publicly when KAT faced criticism online months later, saying, “Y’all humiliating him… show some compassion.”
It was a rare moment where the NBA community — often divided by teams and stats — united around one player’s personal loss.
And it wasn’t just about sympathy. People saw strength in KAT’s honesty. In a world where so many hide their pain, he put his out in the open.
More Than Just a Basketball Player
Through this tragedy, Karl-Anthony Towns became more than an athlete. He became a symbol of what it means to grieve in public, to be vulnerable in front of millions, and to still keep moving forward.
He didn’t have to share his story. But he did. And in doing so, he helped others feel less alone. Whether it was someone who had lost a parent, a grandparent, or a friend to COVID-19 — they saw themselves in KAT.
That’s what made it so powerful. It wasn’t just about one man’s pain. It was about all of ours.
Final Thoughts
There are moments that change the course of a life forever. For Karl-Anthony Towns, it was the day he held his mother’s hand and removed the oxygen mask. The day he let her go.
He didn’t hide from it. He didn’t pretend to be okay. He showed us what real pain looks like — and what real courage is.
This wasn’t just a story that shocked everyone. It’s a story that touched everyone. And one that will be remembered long after the final buzzer sounds.