��������

A fan was taken off the field at PNC Park after falling 21 feet from the right field stands Wednesday night as the Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the Chicago Cubs. Multiple viewers told sister station WTAE they saw a man fall out of the stands from right field next to the Roberto Clemente Wall. The fan, identified as 20-year-old Kavan Markwood, was "awake, alert, and able to speak" on Saturday morning, according to the GoFundMe campaign created by his girlfriend's mother.An update posted on the page said, in part, "After everything he's been through since the accident on Wednesday night, this progress feels nothing short of miraculous. He still has a long road ahead of him, but today brought a moment of hope that we’ve all been holding onto."Right after Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run double in the seventh inning to put the Pirates ahead 4-3 on Wednesday evening, players began waving frantically for medical personnel and pointing to the man, who had fallen onto the warning track.Markwood was tended to for approximately five minutes by members of both the Pirates and Cubs training staffs as well as PNC personnel before being removed from the field on a cart. He taken off the field on a PNC Park truck to receive medical attention. The Pirates said the man was later taken to Allegheny General Hospital by ambulance. Officials said the man was last reported to be in critical condition. Markwood attended South Allegheny High School, according to information supplied by the South Allegheny School District. District Workforce Development Coordinator Laura Thomson said in a statement that the district is keeping the “former student and standout athlete�� in its thoughts and prayers. She identified Markwood was a 2022 graduate who “made a lasting impact�� on the district community as an athlete and a “man of character,�� and said he was MVP of the football team during his senior year.Pittsburgh Public Safety, which includes Pittsburgh police and EMS, posted on X Thursday that the “incident is being treated as accidental in nature.”“We are all deeply saddened and truly heartbroken after the terrible accident that occurred last night," Pirates owner Bob Nutting said in the statement. "It was one of the most difficult moments many of us have ever experienced. We are devastated. Pirates baseball is a community, and our fans are like family. In times like these, we must come together, support one another, and keep him and his loved ones in our prayers."Pirates manager Derek Shelton addressed the incident in a press conference following the game, saying his thoughts and prayers are with the fan's family. VIDEO ABOVE: Pirates manager Derek Shelton speaks on incident at PNC Park "The fact of how it went down, lying motionless, it's extremely unfortunate, that's an understatement," Shelton said. Players from both teams could be seen praying and McCutchen held a cross that hung from his neck while the fan was taken off the field.“Truly hate what happened tonight,�� McCutchen posted on X late Wednesday night. “Cant help but think about that guy, his family and friends. I pray tonight for him. Let us think about his loved ones and hug our families a little tighter tonight. I hope he pulls thru. May God Bless you all. Good night.”The game was paused for several minutes while the man was tended to but there was no official stoppage in play.“I didn’t see anything happen, but I saw (Counsell’s) face when he came out on the field, and I could tell that it was a very scary moment,�� Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “All we could do was just pray for a good, strong recovery for him and his family. I have never been part of something like that before and I hope I am never part of something like that again.“It’s a humble reminder of the gratitude we should all have to play this game. Folks obviously come out to support us, and they are a big reason why we are able to do what we do. It’s obviously tough. At a time like that, you want (the fans) to know you love them.”Fans have died from steep falls at baseball stadiums in the past.In 2015, Atlanta Braves season ticket holder Gregory K. Murrey flipped over guard rails from the upper deck at Turner Field. That was four years after Shannon Stone, a firefighter attending a game with his 6-year-old son, fell about 20 feet after reaching out for a foul ball tossed into the stands at the Texas Rangers�� former stadium.Both incidents prompted scrutiny over the height of guardrails at stadiums. The Rangers raised theirs, while the Braves settled a lawsuit with Murrey’s family.A spectator at a 2022 NFL game at Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium died following a fall on an escalator.It is unclear what led to the fall.The Associated Press contributed to this report