Rachel Apa, a 24-year-old American, died during the New York City Marathon on November 1, just a few kilometers from the finish line. The young woman, a former university athlete and in very good physical condition according to her family, suddenly collapsed in Central Park, after having covered about 39 kilometers.
Rachel was participating in a marathon for the first time. She was running to raise funds for Parkinson's disease, in memory of her grandfather, who had suffered from the disease.
Her story has become even more touching after the publication of the last messages she exchanged with her father, Steve Apa.
In the first kilometers of the race, Rachel had written: "I feel amazing. I've never felt so good."
Her father had warned her not to overexert herself, reminding her that it was her first marathon.
But after kilometer 29, the messages changed. Rachel began to complain of pain, while her father continued to advise her to slow down.
Shortly before the end, he wrote to her again, but this time he received no response.
According to NBC News, the 24-year-old collapsed near the 39th kilometer. A spectator immediately began CPR, while the race medical team also used a defibrillator. Rachel was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she died a few hours later.
Her father said doctors had attributed her death to rhabdomyolysis, a serious condition that causes rapid muscle breakdown and the release of substances that can damage the kidneys and heart. However, the New York medical examiner's office was continuing its investigation to determine the official cause of death.
Rachel had been a field hockey player at Bucknell University and was pursuing a master's degree. Her family described her as an energetic girl who was constantly on the move and looking for new challenges.
She had started the marathon to honor her grandfather's memory, but she failed to cross the finish line.
