Pirates fan update: Kavan Markwood breaks silence after terrifying PNC Park fall, ‘broken everything’

Kavan Markwood, the Pittsburgh Pirates fan and former college football player who fell from a wall at PNC Park on April 30, has broken his silence on the incident. He spoke to TribLive and said he had not watched the video of his fall.

“I’m all right,” he said. “I can’t really sleep. I have a lot of back pain.” Markwood said he will discuss the incident more once he’s released from the hospital, but “broken everything” is how he described his injuries to TribLive, indicating he injured his back and neck.

Kavan Markwood also revealed that he has a swollen hand. “I think when I get home I’ll just put ice on it,” he said. A GoFundMe page was launched to help with his medical bills, and over $47,000 has been raised as of Wednesday afternoon.

Pirates fan Kavan Markwood has a ‘long way to go’ in his recovery

“It’s a slow, slow process, but seeing him up and moving was a huge win and definitely lifted everyone’s spirits,” Jennifer Phillips, the mother of Markwood’s girlfriend, wrote in an update on the GoFundMe page earlier this week, revealing that the Pirates fan took his first steps.

“He still has a long way to go — he’s dealing with a broken neck, clavicle, and back so there are plenty of obstacles ahead,” Phillips wrote. “But he’s showing real strength, and we’re staying hopeful for a smooth recovery. This will also require plenty of rest and following instructions from the great doctors, nurses and staff at the hospital.”

Markwood played linebacker for the Division II college football teams Walsh and Wheeling. In 2023, Markwood was named to the Mountain East Conference’s Commissioner’s Honor Roll, playing in five of the team’s 11 games and registering four tackles for Wheeling. He was at Walsh in 2022 but did not play in a game.

“Kavan is a valued member of our Cardinal family. He played on the football team for the 2023 season after transferring from Walsh University,” Wheeling sports information director Zack Zeigler said.