Rachel Apa, 24, sent her father distressing text messages indicating pain shortly before she collapsed and later died during the New York City Marathon. Her father, Steve Apa, told The New York Times that his daughter died from rhabdomyolysis, a condition that can arise from excessive exercise without adequate rest.
Apa, a former college field hockey player, was running her first marathon. She was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Medical Center after collapsing in Central Park, near the race's finish line. According to her father, Apa texted him "Ow" at Mile 18 and "Ow ow" at Mile 19. Her subsequent messages went unanswered as her father tracked her progress from Pennsylvania. By Mile 23, he sent a message of encouragement about reaching the "final stretch," but received no reply.
Marathon medical staff and physicians from the crowd attempted to aid Apa after she collapsed around 1:30 p.m. She was transported by ambulance to the hospital, where doctors worked for six hours to save her before pronouncing her dead at 9:40 p.m. The New York Road Runners (NYRR), the race organizer, expressed deep sadness and offered sympathies to Apa's family and friends.
Rhabdomyolysis occurs when damaged muscles release their proteins and electrolytes into the bloodstream, potentially harming the heart and kidneys. The condition affects a small percentage of the U.S. population annually.
Apa was running to raise money for the Parkinson's Foundation, in memory of her grandfather who passed away in 2022. She had been working as a product manager and pursuing an MBA at Charleston Southern University. The NYRR confirmed that Apa was the first runner to die during the New York City Marathon since 2024.