TikToker’s death after running scorching Disneyland half marathon comes as heat-related fatalities soar in US

Ray Sanchez, CNN

ANAHEIM, California (CNN) — One time earlier he ran nan Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon during past weekend’s Southern California power wave, Bobby Graves shared his trepidation astir nan torrid sun and humidity pinch thousands of his TikTok followers.

Graves, 35, who went by his mediate name, Caleb, posted a video September 7 successful which he expressed interest astir nan 90-plus-degree power and said he was “marginally worried” astir moving nan adjacent morning. Graves rested connected a pillow aft a 20-minute, early day locomotion pinch his canine successful nan metropolis of Garden Grove successful bluish Orange County.

“Ten minutes aft I came backmost in, I conscionable passed out,” he said successful nan post, describing what he felt arsenic “heat exhaustion.”

The knowledgeable long-distance runner and Disney-race enthusiast admitted having “some susceptibility” to precocious temperatures and said “the UV vulnerability pinch nan power successful Southern California is its ain benignant of beast.”

“I really dream I get done nan title tomorrow morning,” Graves told his followers.

About 7 a.m. past Sunday, he crossed nan decorativeness statement successful 1 hour, 56 minutes, past started clutching his chest. A unpaid grabbed him earlier he fell, Anaheim Police Sgt. Matt Sutter said. About an hr later, Graves, successful afloat cardiac arrest, was pronounced dormant astatine a hospital. The Orange County coroner’s agency says it is investigating whether nan power aliases thing other killed nan young attorney.

Graves’ decease whitethorn yet beryllium portion of a disturbing jump successful nan number of heat-related deaths, which person doubled crossed nan state successful caller years. Just this summer, nan hottest connected grounds for astir 100 US cities from Maine to California, power contributed to nan deaths of 4 children who were near successful cars successful Arizona, Georgia and Nebraska. Another child, a 10-year-old, died of a “heat-related aesculapian event” successful July while hiking successful an Arizona park. In California’s Death Valley, a motorcyclist died connected July 6 from power vulnerability connected a time nan somesthesia climbed to a grounds 128 degrees.

“It is troubling that this has not been much apical of mind, which could partially beryllium explained by nan truth that nan expanding trends successful power related deaths person not been intelligibly identified until now,” said Jeffrey Howard, nan lead writer of a caller study that recovered a 117% spike successful heat-related fatalities complete nan past 24 years, pinch astatine slightest 21,518 group dying successful nan US successful that time.

“Certainly nan risks of these kinds of utmost power issues are astir apt going to support increasing,” said Howard, an subordinate professor of nationalist wellness astatine nan University of Texas astatine San Antonio.

‘Attempted to prevention his life for astir an hour’

The Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon started astatine 5 a.m. past Sunday. Fireworks and floodlights lit up nan early-morning acheronian arsenic much than 11,000 runners, immoderate successful Disney-themed costumes, began nan 13.1-mile tally done nan taxable parkland and nan surrounding area successful a bid of waves based connected erstwhile aliases predicted title times. Temperatures that time ranged from 74 to 106 degrees, pinch 70% humidity, according to nan National Weather Service. In searing heat, immoderate runners stopped on nan way to return selfies pinch Mickey and Minnie Mouse and different Disney characters.

“I started sweating almost immediately,” said Jacob Boyer, 33, an avid runner who vanished his title astir 30 minutes aft Graves completed nan half marathon. “It’s decidedly 1 of nan warmer races I’ve ever done… I took astir apt double nan magnitude of fluid intake passim nan title compared to what I would usually take.”

The flashing lights of an ambulance adjacent caught Boyer’s oculus astatine nan extremity of his race.

“I did announcement that location were a batch much nurses, aesculapian staff, for illustration really paying attraction to group arsenic they were crossing nan decorativeness statement – much truthful than normal,” he recalled.

Paramedics were conscionable a fewer feet distant erstwhile Graves almost collapsed, according to Sutter.

“They started performing CPR and different life redeeming measures,” nan sergeant said. ”They said he was successful afloat cardiac arrest, truthful they transported him to nan nearest infirmary … and they attempted to prevention his life for astir an hour.”

Sutter added, “Our battalion main successful complaint of Anaheim Fire and Rescue for that arena said that paramedics could not person been location immoderate faster. He sewage nan quickest aesculapian thief he could.”

The sergeant said he did not cognize whether Graves had “any underlying aesculapian issues” anterior to nan race.

The coroner’s agency awaits nan results of toxicology tests – which could return up to 3 months, according to Orange County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Frank Gonzalez.

“We are profoundly saddened by this tragic loss, and our hearts are pinch Caleb’s family and loved ones during this difficult time,” Disneyland Resort spokesperson Jessica Good said via email.

The edifice did not respond to questions astir measures taken past play to forestall power exhaustion aliases whether it has considered changing nan dates of nan Disney-themed races.

Running events astatine Disneyland that play included hydration stations pinch other h2o and cooling towels. Disney emails earlier nan title urged participants to enactment good hydrated, deterioration ray clothing aliases costumes pinch “breathable” headwear, support a “conservative” gait and inquire for assistance astatine immoderate signs of illness. Paramedics, doctors and nurses were stationed passim nan people and astatine nan finish.

Fire and rescue officials usually expect 1 aliases 2 cardiovascular events, Sutter said, but deaths are rare. He said six runners were treated for heat-related issues, including dizziness, nausea and fainting aliases adjacent fainting, during nan half marathon.

Boyer, who has participated successful agelong region races for astir 10 years, said he didn’t perceive astir Graves’ decease until Sunday night, erstwhile different runner messaged him an article astir it.

Heat is nan deadliest utmost upwind event

Graves studied biology astatine nan University of Texas astatine Austin, and taught that taxable arsenic good arsenic chemistry successful nationalist schools adjacent Washington, DC, for astir 2 years, according to his Linkedin page. He sewage a rule grade astatine Georgetown University and worked astir precocious arsenic a litigation subordinate astatine Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, wherever he handled entertainment, intelligence property, and copyright and trademark infringement cases, according to nan firm.

“His galore friends and colleagues astatine nan patient are grieving nan nonaccomplishment of a stellar personification and lawyer. Out of respect for his family’s privacy, we person nary further comment,” Wilson Sonsini said successful an email.

In a Facebook station Sunday, friends and relatives wrote that Graves “will surely beryllium missed” and asked that his family person “the abstraction and opportunity they request to make nan upcoming arrangements basal for specified an unthinkable loss.”

The Disney-themed title play came adjacent nan extremity of a summertime of grounds temperatures successful galore parts of nan US, wherever power is nan deadliest utmost upwind event. The human-fueled ambiance situation has generated much terrible and prolonged power waves, CNN has reported. Days are getting hotter and summers longer.

The study led by Howard, published successful nan aesculapian diary JAMA past month, recovered much than 2,300 heat-related deaths successful 2023 – much than double nan number conscionable 3 years earlier. The researchers analyzed information from nan US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and recovered that heat-related deaths decreased by 1.4% from 1999 to 2016, past accrued by 16.8% each twelvemonth from 2016 to 2023.

“As temperatures proceed to emergence because of ambiance change, nan caller expanding inclination is apt to continue,” nan study said, referring to nan spike successful heat-related fatalities. Researchers judge nan increasing numbers correspond an undercount, noting that deaths from nan power tin beryllium harder for authorities to identify.

“We’re benignant of entering a caller era of consequence possibly associated pinch these expanding temperatures,” Howard said.

Nearly half of nan 21,518 heat-related deaths from 1999 to 2023 analyzed by researchers occurred successful 4 states – California, Arizona, Nevada and Texas, Howard said.

Extreme power – deadlier than immoderate different earthy disaster – was suspected successful nan deaths of astatine slightest 37 group successful nan US successful July alone, CNN reported. Less than 2 weeks into July, power was being investigated successful astatine slightest 19 deaths successful Santa Clara County, California, according to nan county’s aesculapian examiner.

“This shape of nan power related deaths now is benignant of mirroring what we’re seeing successful nan somesthesia data,” Howard said.

Before Sunday’s half marathon, Graves posted different TikTok video nether his celebrated @calebtravels personification sanction astir nan presence of Disney title weekend.

“If you’re moving this weekend, retrieve it will beryllium HOT! Stay hydrated and perceive to your body. Good luck to each nan runners!” he wrote.

CNN’s Jen Christensen, Natasha Chen, Deidre McPhillips, Mary Gilbert, Jillian Sykes, Dalia Faheid, Taylor Galgano, Zenebou Sylla, Laura Paddison, Amy O’Kurk and Angela Dewan contributed to this report.

Visitors to Disneyland extracurricular Sleeping Beauty Castle successful Anaheim connected September 3, 2021. | Jeff Gritchen, MediaNews Group/Orange County Register/Getty Images/File via CNN Newsource