Karl-Anthony Towns reveals heartbreaking family issue that caused him to miss time for the Knicks

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns has revealed he missed Tuesday’s game against the visiting Golden State Warriors due to the death of a close family friend named Sarah Holtzman.

Towns made the revelation to reporters as he rejoined the team on Thursday in Los Angeles ahead of a matchup with the Lakers. 

Holtzman died after a battle with breast cancer, according to an online obituary. Towns’ girlfriend Jordyn Woods posted ‘f*** cancer’ on X earlier in the week, prompting some Knicks fans to fear it was the absent Towns who was battling the disease.

Holtzman’s death follows a string of tragedies for Towns, who lost his mother and six other family members to COVID-related illnesses.

‘I want to say that all the losses I’ve had have taught me how to appreciate life and find joy in the work,’ Towns said, as quoted by the New York Post. ‘Not many people have a chance to have this job and be able to play basketball for a living.

‘And the problems that have arisen in my life and stuff, I know that if people were in my shoes they’d be extremely joyful to have the problems that I have. So just stay focused and it’s made me a better man. And, with my mom, I had utilized that experience when it came to this one because losing a mom is tough.’

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