# Healthy 24-year-old athlete dies just 2 miles from NYC marathon finish line after sending dad chilling texts

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/healthy-24-year-old-athlete-dies-just-2-miles-from-nyc-marathon-finish-line-after-sending-dad-chilling-texts/
- Published: 2026-11-03T17:59:47+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-04T01:05:59+00:00
- Original publisher: Fox News (publisher lean: Far right)
- Original article: https://www.foxnews.com/health/healthy-24-year-old-athlete-dies-2-miles-nyc-marathon-finish-line-after-sending-dad-chilling-texts
- Topics: World

## Key points

- Rachel Apa died after collapsing during the New York City Marathon.
- Her father said the cause was rhabdomyolysis.
- She collapsed near mile 24, two miles from the finish.

## Summary

Rachel Apa, a 24-year-old former Division I field hockey player, died after collapsing during the New York City Marathon on 1 November, about two miles from the finish. Her death has highlighted the rare but potentially life-threatening muscle condition rhabdomyolysis, which her father said was the cause.

Apa had trained for months and appeared strong when her mother saw her at mile 14. She texted her father “Ow” at mile 18 and “Ow ow” at mile 19, then stopped responding after he messaged her at mile 23; she collapsed near mile 24 at about 1.30pm. Bystanders began CPR before race medical staff arrived with a defibrillator, and doctors treated her for more than six hours before she was pronounced dead at around 9.40pm. The article describes rhabdomyolysis as muscle breakdown that can release harmful substances into the bloodstream and damage the kidneys; the previous marathon death cited by organisers was in 2024.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.