Riverside readers learn of tragic marathon death in New York City

Rachel Apa, 24, of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, collapsed and died less than three miles from the Central Park finish line of the New York City Marathon on Sunday, according to police sources.

Apa was running her first marathon as part of the Parkinson’s Champions team. The event honored her late grandfather, who died in 2022 after suffering from Parkinson’s disease. She had recently begun a master’s degree program at Charleston Southern University in North Charleston, South Carolina, and was a Division I field hockey player at Bucknell University.

For much of the race, Apa appeared in good spirits. At mile marker 14 in Queens, she was smiling as she passed her mother. By mile 18, she sent a text message to her father, Steve Apa, who was tracking her progress from home. The message read "Ow." At the next mile, she sent "Ow ow." Steve continued to text his daughter, but she did not respond to any further messages.

Apa fell to the ground in Central Park around 1:30 p.m., just over two miles from the finish. Spectators, some of whom identified themselves as physicians, began performing CPR before first responders arrived and used a defibrillator. She was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital and pronounced dead at approximately 9:40 p.m.

The city Medical Examiner’s initial autopsy was inconclusive, and additional tests are required to determine the exact cause of death, a spokesperson said. However, Steve Apa said that his daughter died from rhabdomyolysis. This rare condition causes muscles to disintegrate, leading to muscle death. It can result from overexertion, trauma, medications, or underlying health issues. Symptoms include weak muscles, stiffness, pain, and dark urine.

"It’s unfathomable," Steve Apa told the Times. "Perfect health, perfect shape, 24 years old." On her fundraising page, Apa had written that her grandfather was her role model. "He taught me to stay active, push my limits, and embrace challenges, shaping my love for sports and movement," she wrote.

The New York Road Runners stated that the last participant death during the marathon occurred in 2024. That incident was the result of a medical issue. In a statement, the group said it was deeply saddened by the death of its runner and offered sincere sympathies to the family, friends, and the running community.