Dwight Howard Reveals the Mother of His Son Unexpectedly Passed Away 6 Weeks Ago

Los Angeles Lakers big man Dwight Howard
Los Angeles Lakers big man Dwight Howard / Mike Stobe/Getty Images

The world has been forced to reckon with an unspeakable magnitude of tragedy due to COVID-19. While the pandemic didn't necessarily flip Dwight Howard's world upside down, it has drastically impacted his grieving process.

In a conference call with NBA reporters on Friday, the Los Angeles Lakers big man revealed that the mother of his six-year-old son, Melissa Rios, tragically passed away last month after suffering an epileptic seizure.

"It’s been one of the toughest things I’ve ever had to deal with," Howard told reporters. "It’s really hard, especially during this time. There’s nowhere to go. Usually if things are happening, we have basketball or something to keep our minds going. But a situation like this, it’s a situation that I’ll have to deal with forever because of our child."

We can't even fathom what Howard is going through, and not having basketball as an escape must be making things even more difficult for him.

The eight-time All-Star was able to attend Rios' funeral in Nevada, and he has since been quarantining with his five kids at his home in Georgia, which he claimed is helping him cope with the tragedy.

Our thoughts go out to Howard, his son and the Rios family amid their attempts to push through this trying time.