Russell Wilson says his mom is helping build field hospitals in Seattle

SEATTLE -- Seahawks quarterback and Seattle superstar Russell Wilson has enlisted some help in the coronavirus fight that's "been heavy" on his adopted hometown: his mom.

Wilson told NBC Sports host Mike Tirico that his mother is town helping to build the field hospitals - like the one in Shoreline and the one at CenturyLink Field Events Center - that are set up to relieve overburdened hospitals and the potential overflow of patients if the need arises.

“My mom is in Seattle right now, and she’s helping build, basically these portable hospitals in a way, in and around the community in Seattle so people can check for coronavirus and everything else," Wilson said. "Those people on the front lines, sacrificing their lives potentially, those are true heroes. Those people make the difference and whatever we can do to help is what we’re always thinking about.”

Wilson's mom was an emergency room nurse who was "always in the midst of the fire" while he was growing up, he said.

Speaking about the impact of coronavirus on Seattle, Wilson said although the pandemic is wreaking havoc worldwide, "in Seattle alone, it's been heavy."

Wilson and his wife Ciara announced in mid-March that they were donating a million meals to Food Lifeline to help fill depleted food banks. That amounts to a donation of about $200,000, according to a Food Lifeline spokesperson.

"It’s our hometown, it’s a place that we love so much and so dearly, so we really wanted to be able to give back to our community…The most important thing is to serve, love, and care, and I think if we can do those things then we have a chance," Wilson told NBC Sports.