Hilton remembering collapsed runner

The Orange County Hilton in Costa Mesa will host a public memorial service for an employee from Aliso Viejo who died after collapsing near the finish line of the OC Marathon earlier this month.

The service will be 11 a.m. Friday at the Hilton, 3050 Bristol St.

Geoffrey Jonathan Chao, 46, was the hotel’s director of events. On May 2, he collapsed some 100 feet from the finish line at the Orange County Fair & Event Center after nearly completing the 13.1-mile half marathon event.

The Orange County Coroner has ruled that Chao died of natural causes. Chao is survived by his wife, Heather, and their three children: Ava, 10, Max, 5, and Eli, 3.

The Hilton has started a monetary fund to benefit the family.

Donations may be made at site.memoriesofgeoff.com/Donations.html or to the Geoff Chao Family Fund, Irvine Main Post Office, PO Box 16543 Irvine, CA 92623-6543 or Geoffrey J. Chao Family Benefit Donation Fund, c/o Wells Fargo Bank, PO Box 3488, Portland, OR 97208-3488.

— Brianna Bailey