Kim Villa, a program specialist for Special Olympics Tri-Valley, said his involvement as an athlete “has given him the confidence to do things he never imagined possible.”

“Michael is extremely aware of the responsibility that goes with being a Global Messenger,” she said. “When speaking to groups, he never fails to mention that he represents many other individuals with intellectual disabilities who just want to be respected and treated like others on and off the playing field.”

Away from Special Olympics Southern California events, he does data entry at Vaughn Learning Center and works in the preschool classroom. He also volunteers twice a week in Children’s Ministry at Montrose Church and every summer spends a week as a counselor at Vacation Bible School.

Presented annually since 2001, the award is named after Special Olympics Southern California’s first president.