Woman, 24, Collapses And Dies Miles From Finish Line Of NYC Marathon

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A 24-year-old woman running her first marathon collapsed just two miles from the finish line in New York City on Sunday and died later that night, the NYPD told Patch.

The woman, police said, suffered a medical episode just before 1:40 p.m. inside Central Park near mile marker 24.

Bystanders intervened, performing CPR before she was transported to Mount Sinai Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 9:40 p.m.

According to a report by The New York Times, which spoke with the woman's parents, the runner, Rachel Apa, suffered a fatal case of rhabdomyolysis as a result of the extensive physical activity.

The 24th mile of the New York City Marathon course includes one last uphill climb before turning into Central Park, where the race ends.

Another runner — a 44-year-old man — is in critical condition after collapsing at the same location, Patch reported.

Two months ago, Apa had shared in an update on LinkedIn that she was competing in the New York City Marathon to raise money for the Parkinson's Foundation in honor of her grandfather, who died of the disease in 2022.

"He taught me to stay active, push my limits, and embrace challenges. After he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, I watched as it slowly took away the freedom to move that he once loved," Apa wrote at the time.

She raised more than $12,000 towards her goal in conjunction with the race.

For questions, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.