24-year-old woman dies while running NYC Marathon, reportedly from rhabdomyolysis

A 24-year-old woman from Pennsylvania died after collapsing just more than two miles before the finish line of the New York City Marathon on Sunday.

Rachel Apa, a former Bucknell University field hockey player, collapsed in Central Park while approaching the 24-mile mark of the 26.2-mile race, according to The Associated Press , which cited the the New York Police Department in its Tuesday report.

While the city medical examiner's office said Tuesday, per the AP, that it was investigating the cause of Apa's death, her father, Steve Apa, told The New York Times that the cause of death was rhabdomyolysis, which the Cleveland Clinic classifies as a rare life-threatening condition in which your muscles break down, leading to muscle death.

"When this happens, toxic components of your muscle fibers enter your circulation system and kidneys. This can cause kidney damage," per Cleveland Clinic.

It can stem from overexertion, trauma, medications or an underlying health condition. The NYC Marathon was reportedly Rachel Apa's first marathon, and she was running it for charity, specifically to raise money to fight Parkinson's disease, which her grandfather had when he died in 2022 .

"Choosing a foundation that means something to me was important," Apa wrote in a LinkedIn post months ago . "My grandfather was one of my role models growing up. He taught me to stay active, push my limits and embrace challenges."

Apa's fundraising goal was $4,000. As of Tuesday evening, in the tragic aftermath of her death, her "Parkinson's Champions" fundraising page showed more than $28,000 in donations.

Apa — a Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, native who had just started an MBA program at Charleston Southern University — was working as a product manager for TE Connectivity, an electrical component company.

After Apa collapsed near Mile 24, multiple bystanders — including two people who said they were physicians — took turns giving her CPR, a hospital social worker who was on the scene told the Times.

New York Road Runners, a nonprofit club that puts on the NYC Marathon, said in news release, per the AP , that event medical staffers also performed CPR and used a defibrillator. Once paramedics were on site, they transported Apa to a nearby hospital, but she wasn't able to be saved.

The Times reported, citing timestamped photos and videos shared by spectators, that Apa collapsed at about 1:33 p.m. ET. By 1:40 p.m. ET, a medical crew had arrived, per the Times, which noted that the defibrillator was deployed between 1:41 and 1:50 p.m. ET.

The last time a runner at the marathon died after a medical incident was 2024, according to New York Road Runners.

"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," New York Road Runners said in its statement, per the AP.

At Bucknell, Apa appeared in 63 field hockey games, making 42 starts and posting 17 goals and six assists. She was a two-time member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.