The TikToker, known as Caleb Graves, explained in the video that he was struggling with the heat prior to Sunday’s (8 September) Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon.
A travel blogger and Disney theme park fan, Graves had over 17,000 followers on the social media platform, and shared his training journey.
There were already worrying signs ahead of the event, as he was affected by the extreme heat, with a 20-minute walk with his dog causing him to pass out just 10 minutes after getting home.
The runner collapsed after the half-marathon (Instagram/@coolebgrooves)
Graves crossed the finish line at the half marathon at 7am local time and collapsed instantly, before being given assistance by emergency teams, as Sergeant Matt Sutter told Entertainment Weekly: “The runner crossed the finish line. As soon as he did, one of the workers at the marathon noticed the gentleman was clutching his chest.
“They noticed he was going into cardiac arrest.”
He was then taken to a local hospital for treatment, but was pronounced dead just an hour after crossing the finish line.
In a video uploaded the day before his race, the 33-year-old looked exhausted as he laid down in nothing but a blanket after some last-minute prep.
He explained: “The Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon is tomorrow and I’m… marginally worried.
“I went outside today around like, two o’clock which is part of the hottest part of the day. It was 97 degrees and there are other places in the country that are obviously hotter, I know people are gonna’ say it’s not terrible,” Graves explained, while saying that he was from Texas too so people wouldn’t think that he was complaining.
The American went on to say that the UV rays in Anaheim was ‘its own kinda beast’ as he suffered heat exhaustion while walking his dog: “I just passed out, just fell asleep, no control over my body, it was heat exhaustion. It’s only happened to me once before.”
Graves damningly signed off by saying: “I don’t what’s going on, but I really hope I get through the race tomorrow morning!”
He also hoped that the fact that it was early in the morning would help in terms of temperature, explaining that it was ‘not cute’ to ‘lose control of your body’ like that.
Temperatures in Anaheim, California, exceeded 40°C that weekend.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department and coroner is currently still investigating, as Sergeant Sutter said it is not clear if heat was a factor into Graves’ death.
He also told the LA Times that the content creator had no underlying medical conditions prior to the race.
He had complained about the heat in the days leading up to the run (Instagram/Calebgtravels)
A litigation associate at a law firm by day, Graves had completed marathons and half-marathons before, including at Disney World in Orlando last year and earlier this year.
In some videos, he can be seen touring the park as a runner and giving tips to others.
Disneyland Resort spokesperson Jessica Good said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss, and our hearts are with Caleb’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
His firm, Wilson Sonsini also released a statement reading: “We were informed earlier today that Caleb Graves passed away. 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 at this time.”
