Kavan Markwood told TribLive on Wednesday that he hasn’t watched the video of his 21-foot plunge on April 30 from the Clemente Wall to the right field warning track at PNC Park.
Markwood fell while celebrating an Andrew McCutchen double. Under treatment at Allegheny General Hospital, he called TribLive before a physical therapy appointment Wednesday.
“I’m all right,” he said. “I can’t really sleep. I have a lot of back pain.”
He said he will talk more after he is released from the hospital in about a week.
“Broken everything” is how Markwood described his injuries, which include back and neck injuries and a swollen hand.
“I think when I get home I’ll just put ice on it,” he said.
He said he is grateful for the support of people through GoFundMe to help with his medical bills. It generated more than $46,000 in support as of noon Wednesday.
He took his first steps Monday and has continued 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.
“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.”
A South Allegheny graduate, Markwood also played linebacker for the Walsh and Wheeling Division II college football teams.
“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.
In 2023, Markwood was named to the Mountain East Conference’s Commissioner’s Honor Roll, appearing in five of the teams 11 games and logging four tackles. In 2022, he was listed on the Walsh (North Canton, Ohio) University football roster, but it does not appear he saw playing time.
South Allegheny football coach Frank Cortazzo has also praised Markwood, who was named first-team all-conference and team MVP as a senior for the Gladiators.
“Kavan is not only an outstanding athlete but an even more exceptional young man. His resilience, heart and strength are truly unmatched,” Cortazzo, now the head coach at East Allegheny, told TribLive.
His father, Scott Markwood, and mother, Angela Rachelle Lawson, both died young: Scott in 2014 at 37 and Angela in 2023 at 44.
Kavan Markwood lives in Lincoln, according to his Facebook page.
Related:
• Kavan Markwood takes 1st steps since PNC Park fall, family reports
• Prayers pour in for Pirates fan hurt in fall from PNC Park stands
• Pirates fan who fell from above Clemente Wall identified, remains in critical condition
Tom Davidson is a TribLive news editor. He has been a journalist in Western Pennsylvania for more than 25 years. He can be reached at tdavidson@triblive.com.
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