Rachel Apa, a 24-year-old Bucknell graduate, died Sunday after collapsing during the final stretch of the NYC Marathon.
The first-time marathoner was racing on behalf of the Parkinson's Champions program, a cause tied to her grandfather's battle with the disease.
What Happened to Rachel Apa During the NYC Marathon?
Apa fell around 1:30 PM inside Central Park less than two miles from the finish line.
Nearby spectators started chest compressions until race medics reached her with a defibrillator. They then rushed her to nearby Mount Sinai Medical Center. Despite a six-hour fight to revive her at the hospital, her father Steve Apa told The New York Times she died at approximately 9:40 PM.
Earlier in the annual road race, nothing pointed to the tragic ending.
Video from mile 14 showed her smiling, but by mile 18 she had texted her father a single word: "Ow." Her family said the cause was rhabdomyolysis, a rare breakdown of muscle tissue that floods the bloodstream with toxic proteins. That cause hasn't been confirmed by medical professionals.
No NYC Marathon runner had died from a race-day medical emergency since 2024, according to New York Road Runners. NYRR said in a statement that it was "deeply saddened" by Apa's passing.
