She followed in a second ambulance to Mount Sinai Medical Center, where doctors continued trying to save her daughter.

Medical personnel worked for more than six hours, but Apa could not be revived. Her family was left facing a devastating loss, with her father later identifying the medical condition he believed caused her death.

Rachel Apa’s Father Struggles to Understand Her Sudden Death

Apa’s father attributed her death to rhabdomyolysis, a serious condition involving the breakdown of muscle tissue, according to the NYT.

The condition can develop after intense physical exertion and may cause dangerous complications. Apa had been attempting her first marathon when she collapsed just a few miles from the finish.

For her father, the loss was difficult to reconcile with his daughter’s young age and apparent physical fitness. “It’s unfathomable,” he told the NYT. “Perfect health, perfect shape, 24 years old.”

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