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A report from Entertainment Weekly stated that on Sunday, Sept. 8, shortly after crossing the finish line at 7 a.m. during the race at the Anaheim, California, amusement park, Graves required emergency medical assistance.
“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,” Anaheim Police Department public information officer Sergeant Matt Sutter told Us Weekly in a statement. “They noticed he was going into cardiac arrest.”
The TikTok star was “quickly transported to the nearby Anaheim Global Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead approximately an hour later.” An exact cause of death has yet to be revealed.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss,” Disneyland Resort spokesperson Jessica Good confirmed to Us Weekly. “Our hearts are with Caleb’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Per his website, Graves was a “writer, director, screenwriter and producer” originally from Stephenville, Texas, who later moved to Southern California.
His TikTok page, which has garnered over 20,000 followers, displays his interests in the Disney and Universal amusement parks, entertainment and travel.
In preparation for the seasonal run at Disneyland days before his death, Graves took to social media and shared two videos.
“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!” he wrote. “If you’re running this weekend, remember it will be HOT! Stay hydrated and listen to your body. Good luck to all the runners! #disney #rundisney #disneyland #disneyparks #halloween #halloweenhalfmarathon #run.”
One day before the race that led to his death, Graves did share concerns about participating because of the extreme weather conditions.
“There are other places in the country that are obviously hotter, I know people are going to say, ‘Oh it’s not terrible,’ I grew up in Texas, I know what heat is like,” he told followers. “But the UV exposure with the heat in Southern California is its own kind of beast, I have, maybe, some susceptibility — I don’t know if it’s temporary or long-term.”
He even went on to explain that he had walked his dog outside for 20 minutes in the extreme heat and even though he felt “fine” at the time, it was when he came inside was when he “passed out” 10 minutes later.
“ fell asleep, no control over my body. It was heat exhaustion, ’cause it’s only happened once to me before,” he explained. “I really hope I get through the race tomorrow morning. The fact that it’s early will help me out because it’s not cute to just lose control of your body, just fall asleep like that.”
Per The Weather Channel, temperatures exceeded 100 degrees on each day of the marathon event, including hitting 110 degrees on Friday and 107 degrees on Sunday.
But Entertainment Weekly stated that Sgt. Sutter said it’s unclear if heat played a factor in Graves’ death or not.
TikTok star dead at 35 after completing half marathon at Disneyland
Popular TikTok star and Disney influencer Caleb Graves died after completing the 2024 Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon earlier this week. He was 35.A report from Entertainment Weekly stated that on Sunday, Sept. 8, shortly after crossing the finish line at 7 a.m. during the race at the Anaheim, California, amusement park, Graves required emergency medical assistance.
“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,” Anaheim Police Department public information officer Sergeant Matt Sutter told Us Weekly in a statement. “They noticed he was going into cardiac arrest.”
The TikTok star was “quickly transported to the nearby Anaheim Global Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead approximately an hour later.” An exact cause of death has yet to be revealed.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss,” Disneyland Resort spokesperson Jessica Good confirmed to Us Weekly. “Our hearts are with Caleb’s family and loved ones during this difficult time.”
Per his website, Graves was a “writer, director, screenwriter and producer” originally from Stephenville, Texas, who later moved to Southern California.
His TikTok page, which has garnered over 20,000 followers, displays his interests in the Disney and Universal amusement parks, entertainment and travel.
In preparation for the seasonal run at Disneyland days before his death, Graves took to social media and shared two videos.
“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!” he wrote. “If you’re running this weekend, remember it will be HOT! Stay hydrated and listen to your body. Good luck to all the runners! #disney #rundisney #disneyland #disneyparks #halloween #halloweenhalfmarathon #run.”
One day before the race that led to his death, Graves did share concerns about participating because of the extreme weather conditions.
“There are other places in the country that are obviously hotter, I know people are going to say, ‘Oh it’s not terrible,’ I grew up in Texas, I know what heat is like,” he told followers. “But the UV exposure with the heat in Southern California is its own kind of beast, I have, maybe, some susceptibility — I don’t know if it’s temporary or long-term.”
He even went on to explain that he had walked his dog outside for 20 minutes in the extreme heat and even though he felt “fine” at the time, it was when he came inside was when he “passed out” 10 minutes later.
“ fell asleep, no control over my body. It was heat exhaustion, ’cause it’s only happened once to me before,” he explained. “I really hope I get through the race tomorrow morning. The fact that it’s early will help me out because it’s not cute to just lose control of your body, just fall asleep like that.”
Per The Weather Channel, temperatures exceeded 100 degrees on each day of the marathon event, including hitting 110 degrees on Friday and 107 degrees on Sunday.
But Entertainment Weekly stated that Sgt. Sutter said it’s unclear if heat played a factor in Graves’ death or not.
