Rachel Apa, 24, Dies After Collapsing Near NYC Marathon Finish; Father Says Rhabdomyolysis

A 24-year-old woman running her first marathon died after collapsing in Central Park during Sunday’s New York City Marathon, about two miles from the finish line. The New York Times identified her as Rachel Apa of Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, according to NBC New York and The Guardian.

Her father, Steve Apa, told the Times that she died of rhabdomyolysis, a rare condition in which muscle tissue breaks down. As of Tuesday morning, Nov. 3, the reports we reviewed do not cite an official medical examiner’s finding, so the cause rests on the family’s account for now.

What happened during the race

The NYPD confirmed that a young woman had a medical episode in Central Park, where runners cover the final miles of the 26.2-mile course, NBC New York reported. The station said she collapsed near mile 24 and that medics took her to Mount Sinai around 2 p.m.

The Guardian, citing the Times, described the race as her family followed it:

• Her mother, Michelle Apa, filmed her smiling at mile 14.
• At mile 18, she texted her father “Ow,” and a mile later, “Ow, ow.”
• Around mile 23, she texted “final stretch.”
• She collapsed soon after. A bystander gave her CPR, and race medical staff used a defibrillator before she was taken to Mount Sinai Medical Center.

Doctors there tried to save her, and she died at 9:40 p.m., The Guardian reported. NBC New York said she was pronounced dead several hours after arriving at the hospital.

“It’s unfathomable,” Steve Apa said, according to The Guardian.

Who was Rachel Apa?

Apa was a former college field hockey player. The New York Post reported she played at Bucknell University. Her father told the Times she was in “perfect health, perfect shape,” and the Post said she had trained for months for the race. The Guardian reported that she had recently started an MBA at Charleston Southern University.

She ran on the Parkinson’s Champions team in honor of her late grandfather, who had the disease. The Post said he died in 2022. On her fundraising page, quoted by NBC New York, she wrote: “My grandfather was my role model growing up. He taught me to stay active, push my limits, and embrace challenges, shaping my love for sports and movement.”

What race organizers said

New York Road Runners, which organizes the marathon, confirmed her death in a statement early Tuesday. “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,” the group said, according to NBC New York.

The Guardian reported that the group said the last time a participant died from a medical incident in the race was in 2024. This year’s event was the 50th running of the NYC Marathon, NBC New York noted.

What is rhabdomyolysis?

The sources describe rhabdomyolysis as a rare condition in which muscles break down. The Guardian noted that heavy exercise can bring it on. Beyond that, the reports don’t explain how the condition may have led to her collapse, and no official cause of death has been made public. Any medical examiner’s ruling could add to or differ from what the family has said.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Anyone with concerns about training or symptoms during exercise should talk to a doctor.

Why the story drew wide attention

The NYC Marathon is one of the world’s best-known races, and deaths during it are rare. Apa was young, fit, running her first marathon and raising money in her grandfather’s memory, and her texts to her father during the race have stayed with many readers. The case has also brought attention to rhabdomyolysis, a condition many people had never heard of.

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