Rachel Apa, a 24-year-old runner from Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, died after suffering a medical emergency during Sunday’s New York City Marathon. She collapsed near mile 24, a few miles from the finish, according to the New York Police Department. The cause of her death is under investigation.
A spectator performed CPR near Central Park before race medical staff took over and transported Apa to Mount Sinai Hospital. She died hours later.
New York Road Runners, which organizes the race, said it was “deeply saddened” by Apa’s death and offered condolences to her family, friends and the running community.
Apa worked at TE Connectivity and had previously played college field hockey. She was running the marathon for the first time to raise money for the Parkinson’s Foundation, honoring her grandfather, who had Parkinson’s disease and died in 2022. On her fundraising page, she wrote that he had encouraged her to stay active, push her limits and embrace challenges.
The race marked 50 years of its traditional route through New York City’s five boroughs. New York Road Runners reported that a record 61,146 runners crossed the finish line.
Sources: elDiario.es.