(NEXSTAR) — The 20-year-old man who fell 21 feet from the stands at PNC Park during a Pittsburgh Pirates game has spoken out for the first time since being hospitalized, saying he is “all right.”
Kavan Markwood, a former college athlete, fell over a railing after Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run double in the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, April 30.
Markwood broke his neck, clavicle, and back, according to Jennifer Phillips, the organizer behind a GoFundMe established for him. Dr. Al Philp, chief medical officer at Allegheny General Hospital, told Pittsburgh reporters that Markwood is out of the intensive care unit and preparing for physical therapy and rehab.
Phillips shared Monday that Markwood had taken his first steps since the accident, adding that “it’s a slow slow process.”
On Wednesday, Markwood told Pennsylvania outlet TribLive from a Pittsburgh hospital that he was “all right” but “can’t really sleep.”
“I have a lot of back pain,” he added, describing his injuries as “broken everything.” “I think when I get home, I’ll just put ice on it.”
Markwood also expressed appreciation for the GoFundMe, which has raised nearly $58,000 as of Thursday morning.
Authorities in Pittsburgh have determined Markwood’s fall was “accidental in nature.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
