A 24-year-old runner who died after collapsing roughly two miles from the finish of the New York City Marathon exchanged a series of heartbreaking text messages with her father during Sunday’s race.
Rachel Apa, who was reportedly in “perfect health” before competing in her first marathon, is believed to have died from rhabdomyolysis—a serious condition in which muscle tissue breaks down rapidly. She appeared to begin experiencing pain during the race.
“Ow,” Apa texted her father, Steve Apa, after reaching mile 18—about two-thirds of the way through the 26.2-mile course, according to The New York Times.
After completing another mile, she sent a second message: “Ow, Ow.”
Steve Apa was monitoring his daughter’s progress through the marathon’s tracking app from their home in Pennsylvania. When she reached mile 23, he sent an encouraging message: “Final stretch.”
She never responded. Shortly afterward, Apa collapsed in Central Park near the 24-mile mark.
She was pronounced dead late Sunday. Her father told The Times that doctors attributed her death to rhabdomyolysis, a condition that causes damaged muscles to rapidly release their contents into the bloodstream.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, substances including the protein myoglobin can overwhelm the kidneys and potentially lead to organ failure.
