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The grief-stricken family of the young runner who collapsed and died in the home stretch of the NYC Marathon honored her in a tear-jerking obituary.
Rachel Apa, 24, who died hours after falling at Mile 24 of the race in Central Park from the rare muscular condition rhabdomyolysis on Nov. 1, was described as someone who was “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,” her family wrote in the tribute.
“On Sunday, November 1, 2026, 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 added. “Her spirit was so powerful and full of vitality that not even her body could contain it.”
Apa, of Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, was a gifted athlete who loved animals, especially her dogs, who her family described as “her forever children.”
“At just 24, Rachel had already accomplished so much and given those who knew her countless reasons to be proud. She moved through the world with purpose, always setting high expectations for herself.”
She was also a brilliant baker, they said.
“She created a cookie recipe so perfect it had to be thrown away for the sake of our health,” the obituary reads.
Apa had just moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where she worked as a product manager at electric connector manufacturing company TE Connectivity while pursuing her MBA at Charleston Southern University.
“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,” her family wrote.
“Her drive came from many places, but her family and her faith were always at the center.”
Before her tragic death, Apa – a former D1 field hockey player at Bucknell University – wrote on her LinkedIn that she was running her first marathon to raise money to fight Parkinson’s disease, which had killed her grandfather.
She thanked him for teaching her to “stay active, push my limits, and embrace challenges.”
Apa’s family has created the Rachel Apa Foundation in her memory to raise awareness of the rare condition that caused her death.
A GoFundMe for the foundation, which is in the process of incorporating as a nonprofit, has already raised over $118,000.
