Runner Collapses, Mystery Condition

Runners in a road race wearing bright athletic gear — Photo: Real Sports Photos / Shutterstock

A 24-year-old runner collapsed near mile 24 of the New York City Marathon and later died after bystanders and race medics fought to save her life.

Story Snapshot

Race organizers and police confirmed the collapse near the 24-mile mark and the rapid medical response.
The runner’s father said she died from rhabdomyolysis, a rare but dangerous breakdown of muscle.
Texts to her family showed she was in pain around mile 19, before the collapse.
Marathon medical teams used a defibrillator and rushed her to a Mount Sinai hospital.

What Officials And Family Say Happened

New York Road Runners said a bystander started cardiopulmonary resuscitation when the runner collapsed near Central Park, about two miles from the finish. Event medics arrived, continued care, used a defibrillator, and sent her by ambulance to a Mount Sinai hospital, where she died later that day. New York Police Department officials placed the incident near the 24-mile point. The identity was reported as Rachel Apa, a first-time New York City Marathon participant.

Her father, Steve Apa, told national outlets that doctors said she died from rhabdomyolysis, a condition where damaged muscle releases proteins and electrolytes that can harm the heart and kidneys. He said she had trained and felt strong before the race. Family statements shared with reporters noted her positive mood that morning and her goal to raise money for Parkinson’s research through a charity team.

Signals Before The Collapse

Family members said Rachel texted that she felt pain during the race, writing “Ow ow” around mile 19, about seven miles from the finish. Reports place her collapse near mile 24 on Fifth Avenue by Central Park, where crowds and medical teams are dense late in the race. Witnesses and officials described a fast response, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation and a defibrillator, which are standard for on-course emergencies. She was transported within minutes but died that evening.

Rhabdomyolysis can follow extreme exertion and heat stress, though it can also stem from injuries or medicines. Medical guides say doctors diagnose it with blood tests for creatine kinase, kidney function, and urine changes, and treat early with fluids to protect the kidneys. The father’s account identifies rhabdomyolysis as her cause, but public records on specific lab values or an official medical examiner finding were not available in the cited reporting.

How Rare Are Life-Threatening Marathon Events?

Large studies show sudden cardiac arrest during long-distance races is rare, on the order of about half a case per 100,000 participants. Other research across millions of race finishers reports similar rates, with deaths even less common. A Paris race registry that tracked more than one million runners found only a few life-threatening events per 100,000 participants across many years. These figures show that while risk exists, a single death in a very large marathon is unusual but not unprecedented.

Rachel Apa, 24, Lost After Collapse in First NYC Marathon
Rachel Apa, 24, a Pennsylvania runner raising money for Parkinson’s research, collapsed near mile 24 of the NYC Marathon and later passed away.https://t.co/khKkQ8ykmP pic.twitter.com/1eDHepS06I

— QNC News (@qnc_news) November 3, 2026

Race organizers now place automated external defibrillators and trained teams across key points late in courses. Studies link faster bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and early use of defibrillators to better survival after cardiac arrest on race day. New York Road Runners reported that bystander action and on-course medical care began quickly in this case. That alignment reflects best practices designed to cut response times when seconds matter most for the brain and heart.

Why This Hits A Nerve

This loss touches shared worries that big institutions promise safety but often cannot guarantee outcomes when rare emergencies strike. Families expect strong planning, clear communication, and open answers after a crisis. Organizers centered condolences and confirmed steps taken, but did not release medical records, which are private by law. That balance is common but can feel unsatisfying to a public that wants full clarity after a tragedy at a major civic event.

What We Know And What Comes Next

Here is what the reporting establishes: she collapsed near mile 24; bystanders and medics gave care; a defibrillator was used; she was taken to a Mount Sinai hospital; she died later that day. Her father attributed the death to rhabdomyolysis, which doctors recognize as a dangerous effect of severe exertion. Marathon emergencies remain rare in large fields, but they do occur. Any formal cause-of-death ruling would come from medical and forensic reviews, which are not public in the cited reports.