Heavy/Getty Disneyland entrance in Anaheim, California, in 2023
Shortly after crossing the finish line of the 2024 Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon on September 8, Disney influencer Caleb Graves died after suffering a cardiac event, according to Entertainment Weekly (EW).
Graves, who was 33, had a significant social media following, providing frequent insider tips and updates on Disney parks. Thousands viewed his TikTok videos about everything from new foods to special Disney events, including a video of actress Jamie Lee Curtis leading a sing-along at the Disney Legends ceremony in August.
An avid runner, Graves posted a haunting TikTok video the day before running the Disneyland half marathon, admitting he was nervous about the heat because he’d passed out following his latest practice run.
Caleb Graves Collapsed After ‘Clutching His Chest’ at Finish Line, Per Police Spokesperson
Caleb Graves attends the BoxLunch Holiday Gala Honoring Feeding America at Academy LA on November 09, 2023
Graves ran in the early-morning half-marathon in Anaheim, California, and crossed the finish line around 7 a.m., per EW.
Sgt. Matt Sutter, a public information officer for the Anaheim Police Department, told the outlet that as soon as Graves crossed the finish line, he was seen “clutching his chest” by one of the marathon workers.
“They noticed he was going into cardiac arrest,” Sutter told EW.
Sutter told the Los Angeles Times that the volunteer worker caught Graves as he collapsed, adding, “Anaheim fire and rescue personnel were on scene immediately and started giving lifesaving measures and transported them to the hospital. Unfortunately, they worked on him for about an hour, and he was pronounced deceased at the hospital.”
Disneyland Resort spokesperson Jessica Good told EW, “We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss, and our hearts are with Caleb’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
On September 6, Graves shared video from a pre-race event and reminded his fellow runners to take extra care of themselves in the blistering heat.
In the caption, he wrote, “Disney Halloween Half Marathon Weekend is here! 🎃 Hit the @rundisney race weekend expo this morning to grab my bib, shop a little merch, and get hype for the Sunday race! If you’re running this weekend, remember it will be HOT! Stay hydrated and listen to your body. Good luck to all the runners!”
Los Angeles DJ TETRIS, who was one of the co-hosts of the Disney event, replied to Graves’ Instagram post after learning of his death.
“I’m crying,” he wrote. “I’m in shock. I might have been the last person to talk to him. I saw him running. I yelled hello to him in the mic. He’s always so kind and I just…I can’t believe this. I don’t want to believe this. Thank you for all your magic Caleb. 🌟”
Caleb Graves Said He ‘Passed Out’ the Day Before Race After 20-Minute Walk
One day before the event, on September 7, Graves uploaded a TikTok video in which he lamented how hot it was in California and revealed he’d “passed out” after taking a walk. He expressed his concern about running in the sweltering temperatures, putting two skull emoji over his video with the words, “this heat is no joke.”
“The Disneyland Half-Marathon, the Halloween Half-Marathon, is tomorrow,” he started his video, “and I’m marginally worried now.”
“So, I went outside today around, like, 2 o’clock, which is part of the hottest part of the day,” he continued. “It’s like 90-something degrees. And there are places in the country that are obviously hotter … I grew up in Texas, I know what that heat is like. But the UV exposure with the heat in Southern California is its own kind of piece.”
Graves then explained, “Anyway, I have, maybe, some susceptibility — I don’t know if it’s temporary or long-term — to heat because I was outside for, like, 20 minutes walking my dog, just walking around the block. It was hot, but I felt fine when I came in and then, like, 10 minutes after I got back in, I just passed out. Fell asleep, no control over my body. It was heat exhaustion, ’cause it’s only happened once to me before.”
Followers have flooded that post with tributes to Graves, including one who wrote, “Seeing this after hearing the news breaks my heart even more. RIP 😭❤️”
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Popular Disney Influencer Dies After Competing in Disneyland Event