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Kavan Markwood, who tumbled from the Clemente Wall during the seventh inning of the Wednesday, April 30 Pirates-Cubs matchup, suffered a broken neck, clavicle, and back, according to family friend Jennifer Phillips. He was left in critical condition after the fall, which Pittsburgh Public Safety has ruled accidental in nature.
On Monday, May 5, Phillips announced that Kavan had taken his first steps since the fall—a moment she called “a huge win” for the family.
“He still has a long way to go,” Phillips wrote on the GoFundMe page. “But he’s showing real strength, and we’re staying hopeful for a smooth recovery.”
Kavan’s supporters have raised more than $3,000 toward a $10,000 fundraising goal to assist with medical bills and other unexpected expenses. The campaign, titled “Help a Young Life: PNC Park Tragedy Fund,” was launched by Phillips, the mother of Kavan’s girlfriend, Alonna.
Over the weekend, Phillips had shared that Kavan was awake, alert, and able to speak for the first time since the incident. The updates, she said, have felt “nothing short of miraculous.”
“This progress feels nothing short of miraculous,” she wrote on Saturday, May 3. “Please continue to keep him in your thoughts.”
The fall stunned fans and players alike on April 30, with Pirates and Cubs staff rushing to help after the man landed on the field during a break in play. A second individual jumped from a lower part of the outfield wall to assist, though it’s still unclear whether that person was a relative or a bystander.
Emergency crews and PNC Park personnel treated Kavan on the field before he was rushed to Allegheny General Hospital. The Pirates paused the game for roughly 10 minutes before resuming and ultimately winning 4–3.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family,” the Pirates said in a statement following the incident.
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