Pirates fan who fell 21 feet at PNC Park recounts 'I don't know how I'm alive'

Kavan Markwood, the Pittsburgh Pirates fan who plunged 21 feet over the right-field wall at PNC Park on April 30, said in a new interview that he still does not know how he survived the fall and that he wakes up with pain every day.

Markwood told Inside Edition he was 20 years old at the time of the accident and that he suffered a broken back, a broken neck and fractured ribs. "I don't know how I'm alive," he said, adding that he still has limited feeling in two fingers and wears a cast. "I'm doing better than I was, that is for sure."

Video of the April 30 Pirates-Cubs game shows Markwood flipping in the air before landing on the warning track beyond the right-field wall. Medical personnel attended to him on the field for several minutes before he was carted off and taken to Allegheny General Hospital. Teammates and opponents were visibly shaken by the incident; players on the field were shown praying and several fans rushed to the wall.

Police 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, then bringing them to a group that included Markwood and two women. Both Kirkwood and Markwood can be seen holding drinks later in the footage. About an hour into the game, police said, Kirkwood made another trip to the bar area and returned with two more beers; Markwood fell roughly 50 minutes after that return.

Kirkwood has been charged with two misdemeanor counts of selling or furnishing alcohol to a minor after he admitted to buying drinks for Markwood, according to authorities. The Pirates issued a brief statement after the accident saying the team would not comment on the legal matter and that their focus remained on supporting Markwood on his road to recovery.

Markwood said a friend deliberately jumped the outfield wall to go to his aid after the fall. He recalled being strapped to a backboard on the warning track and later showed signs of ongoing physical limitations, including numbness in two fingers and daily pain.

The incident prompted scrutiny of fan access to the outfield and the conduct of attendees at Major League Baseball parks, and it renewed questions about stadium security and alcohol sales policies. Team officials have said they are supporting Markwood and his family and have declined further comment while legal proceedings continue.

Markwood's account sheds new light on the severity of the injuries and the long recovery he faces. He described the moment leading up to the fall as an excited reaction to a play, saying he jumped out of his seat and then went over the wall. He characterized the episode as a "tragic accident" and denied that alcohol was a contributing factor to his fall.

Medical records and court filings related to the charges against Kirkwood were not released publicly. As of the interview, Markwood said he remains in ongoing treatment and experiences persistent pain but is working on recovery with the support of his family and friends.