The Pittsburgh Pirates fan who fell two stories over an outfield wall in April has recounted his near-death experience in a new interview – saying he doesn’t know how he survived.
During the Pirates-Cubs game on April 30, Kavan Markwood fell 21 feet over the right-field wall, leaving him badly injured on the warning track as medics rushed to his aid.
Markwood, who could be seen flipping in the air before crashing to the ground, was left with a broken back, neck and fractured ribs.
‘I don’t know how I’m alive,’ Markwood told Inside Edition in a new Monday episode.
‘I wake up with pain every day. Still got my arm, I can’t feel my two fingers still…’
He added: ‘I’m doing better than I was, that is for sure.’
Kavan Markwood nearly died in April when he fell over an outfield wall at PNC Park
Marwkood, who wore a cast during an interview with ‘Inside Edition’, said he still experiences extreme pain to this day
The fan was seen laying down on the warning track before another fan leapt down to them
Markwood, who wore a cast on his arm during the interview, was carted off of the field after a delay of several minutes before being transported to nearby Allegheny General Hospital.
The incident clearly rocked the players on the field – who could be seen praying – and also led one of his friends to deliberately jump the outfield wall as well and come to his aid.
Markwood said during the Inside Edition interview that the harrowing fall came afer he excitedly jumped out of his seat in reaction to a play.
He was 20 years old at the time of the accident, and admitted that his friend bought him some beers that night.
However, he denied in the interview that alcohol played a role in the events of that night, calling them just a ‘tragic accident.’
Police previously said security footage from inside PNC Park shows Markwood’s friend, 21-year-old Ethan Kirkwood, buying two 24-ounce Miller Lite beers just before the game’s first pitch.
The footage then shows Kirkwood, who was asked for ID during the purchase, taking the drinks to his group of three friends, which included Markwood and two females.
Markwood said he didn’t know how he was alive following the harrowing fall
He was attended to by medical personnel for about five minutes before being carted off
Pirates player Andrew McCutchen put his head in his hands after the shocking moment
Both Kirkwood and Markwood can be seen with the beers in their hands in the footage.
An hour later, the video shows, Kirkwood makes another trip to the bar area and brings back two more beers.
Markwood then fell around 50 minutes later while Kirkwood was returning with another two beers.
Kirkwood was ultimately charged with two misdemeanor counts of selling or furnishing alcohol to a minor after admitting to buying Markwood drinks.
In a statement after Marwood’s accident, the Pirates wished him well and declined to comment on the legal issues his friend was facing.
‘We feel it is inappropriate to comment on this legal matter,’ the team said in a statement.
‘Kavan, his family and his friends have been through a lot. Our focus remains on supporting Kavan on his road to recovery following this tragic accident.’
