A 24-year-old runner from the Virgin Islands died on Sunday after collapsing during the New York City marathon, roughly two miles from the finish line.
Rachel Apa was participating in her first marathon among more than 61,000 runners in the race. She received emergency care on the course and was transported by ambulance to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Medical staff determined that rhabdomyolysis, a rare condition that strikes even physically fit individuals, caused her death. Apa had no prior medical problems and maintained an active lifestyle as a university field hockey player.
Throughout most of the race, Apa texted her father Steve with upbeat messages. At the 20-mile mark, she wrote "Ow, ow," prompting her father to reply "All finish, not speed." Her communications ceased around mile 24. Steve and friends tracking her progress through the marathon's app noticed her position stopped moving.
Apa's mother Michelle was stationed further along the course when an emergency responder informed her that Rachel had been transported to hospital. Before paramedics arrived, a bystander performed CPR on Apa and used a defibrillator in an attempt to revive her.
A Bucknell University graduate from Pennsylvania, Apa had trained extensively for the event. She ran to raise funds for Parkinson's Champions, honouring her grandfather's memory. In her fundraising message, she wrote that her grandfather "taught me to stay active, push my limits, and embrace challenges, shaping my love for sports and movement."
New York Road Runners, which organized the marathon, released a statement expressing sorrow over Apa's death and offering condolences to her family and the running community.
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