Amid the euphoria and festivities following the Minnesota Timberwolves’ pulse-pumping win on Tuesday evening, Jordyn Woods paid tribute to her boyfriend Karl-Anthony Towns’ late mother.
Towns and the Timberwolves narrowly defeated the Los Angeles Clippers in a down-to-the-wire finish, 109-104, in the new play-in tournament to qualify for the NBA playoffs for just the second time in 20 years. The win ignited spontaneous jubilation that began among the throngs in the arena and spilled onto the streets of Minneapolis.
On Wednesday, April 13, the reality star and Instagram influencer paid homage to Towns’ mother, Jacqueline Cruz, who succumbed to complications from the novel coronavirus in April 2020. Woods shared this message with her 12 million IG followers:
“This moment was so special to us because today is the two-year anniversary of Jackie’s passing. And I know how tough it’s been doing all of this without her [heart emoji].”
Towns told Oscar-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson on her talk show, “Peace of Mind with Taraji,” that Woods was a Godsend when his mother and several other family members passed from COVID-19.
“A woman that meant so much to me in my life left my life to be replaced by another woman to take that spot,” Towns told Henson and added that Woods helped him become more sensitive and let his guard down. “It was not until Jordyn that I learned the most important lesson: the male ego is the most sensitive and most dangerous thing the world has to offer.”
The support system has been mutual. He has been there to help Woods continue to heal after she lost her father, John Woods, to cancer in January 2017.
The NBA All-Star, who won the 3-point shooting contest in February 2022, also defended Woods when folks accused her of getting plastic surgery to attain her shapely form.
“She went out to put the damn work in and changed her whole life,” he said on his IG page. “FITNESS SAVED HER LIFE!”
