Rachel Apa’s family has released a moving obituary honoring the 24-year-old runner who died after collapsing near the end of the NYC Marathon.
Apa, of Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, fell at Mile 24 in Central Park on Nov. 1 and died hours later from rhabdomyolysis, a rare muscular condition. She had been running her first marathon to raise money for the Parkinson’s Foundation, motivated by the death of her grandfather from the disease.
On her LinkedIn before the race, Apa thanked her grandfather for teaching her to “stay active, push my limits, and embrace challenges.” The former D1 field hockey player at Bucknell University had approached the 26.2-mile event with the same competitive drive that defined her athletic career.
Her family described her in the tribute as “strong-willed and naturally took charge.”
“With determination, discipline, and a heart fully committed to whatever she pursued, she always found her way to the finish line,” they wrote in the obituary.
The family captured the final moments of her race with poetic precision. “On Sunday, November 1, after running 24 miles at an incredible pace and with a grin that stretched ear to ear, the only thing strong enough to physically stop her body met Rachel on 85th Street,” they continued. “Her spirit was so powerful and full of vitality that not even her body could contain it.”
Apa had recently relocated to Charleston, South Carolina, where she worked as a product manager at TE Connectivity, an electric connector manufacturing company, while pursuing her MBA at Charleston Southern University. Her family emphasized that her accomplishments at just 24 years old gave those who knew her “countless reasons to be proud.”
“She moved through the world with purpose, always setting high expectations for herself,” they wrote.
Beyond her professional and athletic pursuits, Apa was a passionate animal lover, particularly devoted to her dogs, whom her family called “her forever children.” She also developed a reputation as a skilled baker with a sense of humor about her own creations.
“She created a cookie recipe so perfect it had to be thrown away for the sake of our health,” the obituary reads.
The family framed her approach to life as one of self-definition rather than goal-chasing. “While most of us are defined by our goals and achievements, it would be considerably more accurate to say that Rachel defined everything she did,” they wrote, adding that “her drive came from many places, but her family and her faith were always at the center.”
In the wake of her death, Apa’s family has established the Rachel Apa Foundation to raise awareness of rhabdomyolysis, the condition that killed her. The foundation is currently incorporating as a nonprofit, and a GoFundMe campaign has already raised over $118,000.
Rhabdomyolysis occurs when damaged muscle tissue breaks down rapidly, releasing proteins into the bloodstream that can cause kidney failure and other fatal complications. The condition can be triggered by extreme physical exertion, particularly in endurance events like marathons.
The 2026 NYC Marathon drew thousands of runners through all five boroughs before the final miles in Central Park, where Apa collapsed just two miles short of completing her first 26.2-mile race.
The Rachel Apa Foundation will hold its inaugural awareness event in Charleston, South Carolina.