On her fundraising page, Rachel Apa had said her grandfather inspired her love for sports (Photo: X)A 24-year-old woman who died after collapsing during the New York City Marathon was running to honour her grandfather, who had Parkinson’s disease and passed away in 2022.Rachel Apa, a former college athlete from Pennsylvania, had dedicated her first marathon to raising awareness and funds for the disease after witnessing how it affected her grandfather.Apa participated in the November 1 race as part of the Parkinson’s Foundation Champions team, with an initial fundraising target of $4,000. However, following her death, donations to her campaign surged, crossing $21,000, more than five times her original goal, the Los Angeles Times reported.‘My grandfather was my role model’On her fundraising page, Apa had said her grandfather inspired her love for sports and encouraged her to stay physically active. “My grandfather was my role model growing up,” she told the Los Angeles Times.She also described how Parkinson’s disease gradually affected her grandfather’s mobility and ability to participate in activities he once enjoyed. After his death, she said the lessons he taught her continued to motivate her.“I’m proud to run with Parkinson’s Foundation Champions to raise funds and awareness for research, better care and a cure,” she wrote.Her father, Steve Apa, told NBC News that her decision to run for the cause was connected to her grandfather’s experience with the disease.Story continues below this ad“I never asked her why she chose to run for Parkinson’s, but my father, her grandfather, did have Parkinson’s, and she saw how debilitating it was,” he said.Also Read | Once dyslexic, Karl Bushby completes 28-year walk around the worldWho was Rachel Apa?Apa graduated from Bucknell University in 2024, where she played Division I field hockey. She was working as a product manager and pursuing an MBA at Charleston Southern University.She collapsed near the 24-mile mark of the 26.2-mile race in Central Park, just over two miles from the finish line. Emergency responders rushed her to a hospital, where she later died.Her father said doctors had attributed her death to rhabdomyolysis, a serious condition involving the breakdown of muscle tissue.Story continues below this adHowever, the New York City medical examiner’s office said the official cause of death had not yet been determined, CBS News reported.