A 24-year-old runner collapsed and died just two miles from the finish line of the New York City Marathon on Sunday. Rachel Apa, from Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, was running with the Parkinson's Foundation Champions to raise money and honor her grandfather who had the disease.
Apa's father stated that she was in "perfect health, perfect shape" and that it was her first marathon, although she was an athlete who had trained for months. She died from rhabdomyolysis, a rare condition where muscles break down and release damaging proteins into the bloodstream, which can be brought on by overexertion. She collapsed in Central Park near mile marker 24, and a bystander performed CPR before race medical staff arrived. She was taken to the hospital in critical condition and passed away that night.
The city's medical examiner's office is still investigating the exact cause of death. According to The New York Times, Apa had texted her father "Ow" around mile 18 and "Ow ow" a mile later, before sending "final stretch" at mile 23.
New York Road Runners, the race organizer, expressed their condolences: "We are deeply saddened by Rachel's passing following running in Sunday's race. Our thoughts and sincere sympathies are with her family, friends, and the entire running community."
Apa graduated in 2024 from Bucknell University with a business degree, where she also played field hockey. She had been working as a product manager at an industrial technology company. On her fundraising page, she wrote about her grandfather's influence, stating he taught her to "stay active, push my limits, and embrace challenges," and that she watched the progression of his Parkinson's disease.
This year's New York City Marathon had over 61,000 participants, marking a record for the third consecutive year as the largest marathon globally.