The family of Rachel Apa, who died after collapsing near the finish line of the New York City Marathon, has established a $150,000 fundraising goal to raise awareness about rhabdomyolysis, the condition believed to have caused her death. The Rachel Apa Foundation has been created to educate athletes about the dangers of this condition and to advocate for improved on-course medical care at endurance events.
Apa, 24, collapsed on Sunday in Central Park, just miles from completing the marathon. Medical personnel from the crowd and later marathon staff attempted to revive her. She was transported to Mount Sinai Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead that evening. The cause of death was rhabdomyolysis, a condition where muscle fibers break down, releasing toxic components into the bloodstream that can damage the kidneys.
The GoFundMe campaign for the foundation had reached over $106,000 by Friday afternoon. According to her family, the foundation aims to "ensure athletes know about this danger, that no other family suffers a loss like this, and that Rachel's memory lives on." The long-term hope is to support athletes carrying "Rachel's Spirit across finish lines everywhere."
Apa was running in the marathon to raise funds for Parkinson's Champions in memory of her grandfather, who died from the disease in 2022. She had been training for months for the event, motivated by her grandfather's love for sports and movement, which he eventually lost due to his illness.
Her father last communicated with her via text message around Mile 18, receiving brief, pained responses. Her mother was waiting at Mile 25 when she noticed on a tracking app that her daughter had not progressed, and she arrived at the scene as Apa was being taken to the hospital.
Race organizer New York Road Runners (NYRR) expressed deep sadness over the runner's death, offering sympathies to her family and the running community. Apa is the first runner to die during the New York City Marathon since 2024. The NYRR noted that in 2007, elite runner Ryan Shay died in Central Park during the Olympic marathon trials held by the organization.