Michael D. Gaal, 54, of Bethlehem, died March 1, 2025, at Lehigh Valley Hospital – Muhlenberg, Bethlehem. Born in Allentown, he was a son of and resided with Barry L. and Ruth E. (Kuhns) Gaal.

He was a Mercy Special Learning Center, Allentown, graduate.

He worked at various locations. He was a food service worker and retired recently after working 15 years for Sodexo at Lehigh University.

He was a member of Grace Presbyterian Church, Bethlehem.

He was a highly decorated Special Olympics athlete who began competing at age seven. For 37 years, he trained weekly at Parkettes National Gymnastics Center. Through Bethlehem Special Olympics, he competed in golf, bowling, volleyball, gymnastics and powerlifting. He competed twice in the Special Olympics World Games, and won two gold, three silver and two bronze medals in the 1991 in the Special Olympics in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and two bronze medals in 1995 in New Haven, Connecticut. He was inducted by Joe Paterno into the inaugural class of Special Olympics Pennsylvania Hall of Fame and then into the Bethlehem Special Olympics Hall of Fame, both in 1996. He met Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics founder, at the Games.

As a representative of Special Olympics, he ran the last leg of the torch run celebrating Bethlehem’s 250th anniversary. Michael won seven gold medals in the Special Olympics Division at the 1998 Peter Vidmar International Men’s Gymnastics Invitational at UCLA. He was named the Bethlehem Jaycees “Outstanding Young Fitness Leader” in 2005. For the Special Olympics 50th anniversary, Pennsylvania recognized him with the “Brightest Stars” and prepared a YouTube video highlighting his accomplishments.

In 2016, by invitation, he stood at the Washington Nationals dugout and opened the game against the Phillies by shouting “Play Ball.” In 2022, he ran the bases between innings during a Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs game as a people with disabilities representative.

He participated in Bethlehem Morning Star Rotary Club 5K races and assisted with Bethlehem Special Olympics fundraiser events.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by three siblings, Natalie Gaal Lowenfeld (Ed) of Farmington Hills, Michigan; Gregory (PJ) S. Gaal of Limerick and Steven A. Gaal of Castle Rock, Colorado; and five nieces and nephews, Marc, Caroline, Emma, Paige and Hayden.

Contributions may be made to Parkettes National Gymnastics Center and/or Bethlehem Special Olympics, both c/o Heintzelman Funeral Home Inc., P.O. Box #196, Schnecksville, PA 18078-0196.

Arrangements were made by Heintzelman Funeral Home Inc., Schnecksville.