Just minutes before he collapsed and died near mile 24 of the New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 1. Rachel What he was holding his father SteveUpdated information on progress was given.
Steve followed his daughter through the marathon app from his home in Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, texting 24-year-old Rachel with words of encouragement at each mile.
“Oh,” Rachel texted at mile 18, Steve recalled. New York Times In a story published on Monday, November 2. “Oh my god,” Rachel texted at mile 19.
“Last step,” Steve texted his daughter at mile 23. The girl didn’t answer at all. Rachel collapsed a short time later near mile marker 24 near 84th Street in Central Park.
When Steve was home, his wife MichelleShe was cheering on her daughters on the marathon route in New York. When Rachel’s progress stalled in marathon practice, Michelle raced to mile 24. It arrived as Rachel was being taken by ambulance to Mount Sinai Medical Center. Michelle followed in a second ambulance.
For more than six hours, doctors tried to save Rachel’s life but were ultimately unsuccessful. The cause of death was ruled to be rhabdomyolysis, a medical condition in which muscles break down rapidly due to exertion.
Rachel What
Courtesy of Rachel Apa/Instagram“This is mind-boggling,” Steve said. Times. “Excellent health, excellent shape, 24 years old.”
Rachel, who played field hockey at Bucknell University, was running the New York City Marathon to raise money for Parkinson’s Champions in honor of her late grandfather, who died of the disease.
“My grandfather was one of my role models growing up,” Rachel wrote via LinkedIn before the race. “It taught me to stay active, push my limits, and embrace challenges.”
Bucknell Athletics remembered Rachel in a statement on Tuesday, November 3. Rachel graduated from college in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, in 2024.
“We are heartbroken for the Apa family and deeply saddened by the unimaginable loss of their beautiful daughter, Rachel,” the school said in a statement. “The Apas are in the thoughts and prayers of the entire Bucknell Field Hockey family during this incredibly difficult time.”
The statement continued, “Rachel’s spirit will endure forever; her impact on the people and the program will never be forgotten. We hope the Apa family finds some solace in knowing that she helped create something truly special here and will always hold a place in our hearts. We send you all our love, strength, and support. Our entire Bucknell Field Hockey family holds you close in our hearts.”