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

(CNN) — One day before he ran the Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon during last weekend’s Southern California heat wave, Bobby Graves shared his trepidation about the torrid sun and humidity with thousands of his TikTok followers.

Graves, 35, who went by his middle name, Caleb, posted a video September 7 in which he expressed concern about the 90-plus-degree heat and said he was “marginally worried” about running the next morning. Graves rested on a pillow after a 20-minute, early afternoon walk with his dog in the city of Garden Grove in northern Orange County.

“Ten minutes after I came back in, I just passed out,” he said in the post, describing what he felt as “heat exhaustion.”

The experienced long-distance runner and Disney-race enthusiast admitted having “some susceptibility” to high temperatures and said “the UV exposure with the heat in Southern California is its own kind of beast.”

“I really hope I get through the race tomorrow morning,” Graves told his followers.

About 7 a.m. last Sunday, he crossed the finish line in one hour, 56 minutes, then started clutching his chest. A volunteer grabbed him before he fell, Anaheim Police Sgt. Matt Sutter said. About an hour later, Graves, in full cardiac arrest, was pronounced dead at a hospital. The Orange County coroner’s office says it is investigating whether the heat or something else killed the young attorney.

Graves’ death may ultimately be part of a disturbing jump in the number of heat-related deaths, which have doubled across the country in recent years. Just this summer, the hottest on record for about 100 US cities from Maine to California, heat contributed to the deaths of four children who were left in cars in Arizona, Georgia and Nebraska. Another child, a 10-year-old, died of a “heat-related medical event” in July while hiking in an Arizona park. In California’s Death Valley, a motorcyclist died on July 6 from heat exposure on a day the temperature climbed to a record 128 degrees.

“It is troubling that this has not been more top of mind, which could partially be explained by the fact that the increasing trends in heat related deaths have not been clearly identified until now,” said Jeffrey Howard, the lead author of a new study that found a 117% spike in heat-related fatalities over the last 24 years, with at least 21,518 people dying in the US in that time.

“Certainly the risks of these kinds of extreme heat issues are probably going to keep increasing,” said Howard, an associate professor of public health at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

‘Attempted to save his life for about an hour’

The Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon started at 5 a.m. last Sunday. Fireworks and floodlights lit up the early-morning darkness as more than 11,000 runners, some in Disney-themed costumes, began the 13.1-mile run through the theme park and the surrounding area in a series of waves based on previous or predicted race times. Temperatures that day ranged from 74 to 106 degrees, with 70% humidity, according to the National Weather Service. In searing heat, some runners stopped along the route to take selfies with Mickey and Minnie Mouse and other Disney characters.

“I started sweating almost immediately,” said Jacob Boyer, 33, an avid runner who finished his race about 30 minutes after Graves completed the half marathon. “It’s definitely one of the warmer races I’ve ever done… I took probably double the amount of fluid intake throughout the race compared to what I would normally take.”

The flashing lights of an ambulance nearby caught Boyer’s eye at the end of his race.

“I did notice that there were a lot more nurses, medical staff, like really paying attention to people as they were crossing the finish line – more so than normal,” he recalled.

Paramedics were just a few feet away when Graves almost collapsed, according to Sutter.

“They started performing CPR and other life saving measures,” the sergeant said. ”They said he was in full cardiac arrest, so they transported him to the nearest hospital … and they attempted to save his life for about an hour.”

Sutter added, “Our battalion chief in charge of Anaheim Fire and Rescue for that event said that paramedics could not have been there any faster. He got the quickest medical help he could.”

The sergeant said he did not know whether Graves had “any underlying medical issues” prior to the race.

The coroner’s office awaits the results of toxicology tests – which could take up to three months, according to Orange County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Frank Gonzalez.

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

The resort did not respond to questions about measures taken last weekend to prevent heat exhaustion or whether it has considered changing the dates of the Disney-themed races.

Running events at Disneyland that weekend included hydration stations with extra water and cooling towels. Disney emails before the race urged participants to stay well hydrated, wear light clothing or costumes with “breathable” headwear, maintain a “conservative” pace and ask for assistance at any signs of illness. Paramedics, doctors and nurses were stationed throughout the course and at the finish.

Fire and rescue officials usually anticipate one or two cardiovascular events, Sutter said, but deaths are rare. He said six runners were treated for heat-related issues, including dizziness, nausea and fainting or near fainting, during the half marathon.

Boyer, who has participated in long distance races for about 10 years, said he didn’t hear about Graves’ death until Sunday night, when another runner messaged him an article about it.

Heat is the deadliest extreme weather event

Graves studied biology at the University of Texas at Austin, and taught that subject as well as chemistry in public schools near Washington, DC, for nearly two years, according to his Linkedin page. He got a law degree at Georgetown University and worked most recently as a litigation associate at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, where he handled entertainment, intellectual property, and copyright and trademark infringement cases, according to the firm.

“His many friends and colleagues at the firm are grieving the loss of a stellar person and lawyer. Out of respect for his family’s privacy, we have no further comment,” Wilson Sonsini said in an email.

In a Facebook post Sunday, friends and relatives wrote that Graves “will surely be missed” and asked that his family receive “the space and opportunity they need to make the upcoming arrangements necessary for such an incredible loss.”

The Disney-themed race weekend came near the end of a summer of record temperatures in many parts of the US, where heat is the deadliest extreme weather event. The human-fueled climate crisis has generated more severe and prolonged heat waves, CNN has reported. Days are getting hotter and summers longer.

The study led by Howard, published in the medical journal JAMA last month, found more than 2,300 heat-related deaths in 2023 – more than double the number just three years earlier. The researchers analyzed data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and found that heat-related deaths decreased by 1.4% from 1999 to 2016, then increased by 16.8% each year from 2016 to 2023.

“As temperatures continue to rise because of climate change, the recent increasing trend is likely to continue,” the study said, referring to the spike in heat-related fatalities. Researchers believe the growing numbers represent an undercount, noting that deaths from the heat can be harder for authorities to identify.

“We’re sort of entering a new era of risk perhaps associated with these increasing temperatures,” Howard said.

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

Extreme heat – deadlier than any other natural disaster – was suspected in the deaths of at least 37 people in the US in July alone, CNN reported. Less than two weeks into July, heat was being investigated in at least 19 deaths in Santa Clara County, California, according to the county’s medical examiner.

“This pattern of the heat related deaths now is kind of mirroring what we’re seeing in the temperature data,” Howard said.

Before Sunday’s half marathon, Graves posted another TikTok video under his popular @calebtravels user name about the arrival of Disney race weekend.

“If you’re running this weekend, remember it will be HOT! Stay hydrated and listen to your body. Good luck to all the 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.

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