Rachel Apa, who collapsed near the finish line of the New York City Marathon, died from a rare muscle condition, her father has revealed.

The 24-year-old former college field hockey player was pronounced dead at a New York hospital after collapsing in Central Park.

As reported by The New York Times, a hospital social worker rushed to Apa’s aid but was unable to find a pulse, while two physicians from the crowd also performed CPR.

She was declared dead on Sunday night, with her father – Steve – revealing that the cause was rhabdomyolysis, which can be brought on by excessive exercise without rest.

The rare condition, which affects around 0.0076 percent of the US population every year, causes your muscles to break down and leads to ‘toxic components of your muscle fibers’ entering the kidneys and the body’s circulation system.

‘It’s unfathomable,’ Steve Apa told the New York Times. ‘Perfect health, perfect shape, 24 years old.’

Rachel Apa, who collapsed during the New York City Marathon, died from a muscle condition

‘It’s unfathomable… perfect health, perfect shape, 24 years old,’ he father told the Times

Marathon runners enter Central Park shortly before Mile 24 of the race. Apa collapsed around 1.30pm, according to The New York Times. 

After the hospital social worker and physicians rushed to treat her, marathon medical staff arrived with a defibrillator, according to a statement by race organizer, the New York Road Runners (NYRR). 

The paramedics followed quickly with an ambulance, which brought Rachel to Mount Sinai Medical Center. It was there that doctors tried to save her life for six hours before pronouncing her dead at 9.40pm.

‘We are deeply saddened by the death of one of our runners following yesterday’s race,’ the Road Runners said in a statement. ‘Our thoughts and sincere sympathies are with the runner’s family, friends, and the entire running community.’ 

The Bucknell University graduate had trained for months before running Sunday’s marathon to raise money for the Parkinson’s Foundation Champion in memory of her grandfather.

‘I watched as the disease slowly took away the freedom to move that he once loved so much,’ she wrote on a fundraising page. ‘He passed away in 2022, but the lessons he taught me continue to drive me forward.’ 

Rachel’s mother, Michelle, recorded footage of her smiling at Mile 14. The young runner was also in touch with her father, Steve, back in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, where he was texting her encouragement, according to The New York Times.

Steve got a brief response from his daughter at Mile 18. ‘Ow,’ she wrote, adding, ‘Ow ow’ a mile later. At Mile 23, he told his daughter she had reached the ‘final stretch’ but never heard back.

Rachel’s mother, meanwhile, was waiting for her at Mile 25 but noticed on the marathon tracking app that her daughter was mysteriously still further back in Central Park.

Runners pass through Central Park as they compete in the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon

Michelle arrived at the scene just as the ambulance was taking her to the hospital and followed in another ambulance shortly after.

Following Rachel’s death, the NYRR confirmed she was the first runner to die during the New York City Marathon since 2024. Additionally, in 2007, five-time US national champion Ryan Shay died in Central Park during the Olympic marathon trials, which were held by the NYRR a day before that year’s New York City Marathon.

Rachel had been working as a product manager for an electrical component company and was studying to get her MBA at Charleston Southern University.

‘My grandfather was my role model growing up,’ Rachel wrote online. ‘He taught me to stay active, push my limits, and embrace challenges, shaping my love for sports and movement. Later in life, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and I watched as the disease slowly took away the freedom to move that he once loved so much. He passed away in 2022, but the lessons he taught me continue to drive me forward.

‘I’m proud to run with Parkinson’s Foundation Champions to raise funds and awareness for research, better care, and a cure.’