NYC marathoner with 'heart for Jesus' remembered after tragic death for her faith, strength and charity

Fox News · Angelica Stabile · 2026-11-04 20:02 UTC

Athlete Rachel Apa, 24, was running the NYC Marathon to honor her late grandfather and raise funds to fight Parkinson's disease when rhabdomyolysis struck.

Rachel Apa, 24, died on Sunday, Nov. 1, while running the New York City Marathon after succumbing to complications from rhabdomyolysis, a rare muscle condition.

Apa made it to mile 24 – just 2.2 miles from the finish line – before collapsing. She received immediate medical attention and was taken to Mount Sinai Medical Center, where physicians worked to save her for more than six hours.

The athlete was declared dead at around 9:40 p.m., according to a report from The New York Times.

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