“I wake up in pain every day” - MLB fan opens up about surviving “tragic accident” in 21 ft. fall during Pirates-Cubs game at PNC Park

Baseball has been a source of entertainment for millions across the globe but it turned into tragedy for a Pittsburgh Pirates fan in April.

Kavan Markwood, who was at PNC Park for the game against the Chicago Cubs on April 30, suffered a devastating accident, falling 21 feet from the stands onto the warning track while celebrating a home run.

The Pirates fan was attended by the grounds crew as he lay motionless on the warning track dirt. He suffered a broken neck, clavicle and back due to the devastating fall.

Markwood opened up about the fall and his injuries in a conversation with Inside Edition earlier this week.

“I don’t know how I’m alive,” Markwood said as he walked around Pittsburgh’s PNC Park. “I wake up with pain every day. My arm, I can’t feel my two fingers still. [But] I’m doing better than what I was, that’s for sure.

Following the fall, reports claimed the 20-year-old fan was intoxicated which led to the mishap. Markwood admitted a friend had brought him beers, while his girlfriend said he had only two beers. His girlfriend's mother also set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for his treatment.

Markwood also clarified that it was an incident and he didn't jump from the bleachers.

“I just hope everyone knows that I fell and I didn’t jump over the railing,” Markwood said. “It was just a tragic accident.”

Markwood's brother was charged with providing alcohol in connection with the incident.

Kavan Markwood's sister thanked Pirates-Cubs for support after tragic fall

Veteran Pittsburgh Pirates slugger Andrew McCutchen, who witnessed the fall over the Roberto Clemente wall, said he was "devastated" by the incident. The Pirates and Cubs players and coaching staff shared their players for Kavan Markwood.

Kavan's sister, Taryn Markwood, thanked the players and the staffs for their support:

"To the Pirates and Cubs players, coaches, staff, and all who paused to take a knee in prayer during that tragic moment — your compassion did not go unnoticed. It brought a sense of unity and hope amidst the chaos.”

Markwood reportedly played football for South Allegheny School District and received first-team all-conference honors.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash