Michael Carl Petell

Michael Carl Petell was born in Chicago, Illinois on December 18, 1948.  He passed away at home on January 8, 2021 after a courageous battle with cancer.  Survivors include his sister, Denise Boland of Missouri City, Texas and his 7 nieces and nephews.     After graduating high school at Maine Twp, Parkridge, IL in 1966, Michael went to the University of Miami.   He played tight end for the Hurricanes football team and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design.  He began working in advertising in Chicago before moving to Southern California in 1973.   After arriving in California at the age of 25, he was hired as Director of Licensing and Vice President of Marketing for the World Football League from 1973-1975.    In 1975, Michael was Founder and President of Fiber Optic Design, Inc., inventors and manufactures of fiber optic technologies.  Michael had more than 35 years of experience in the engineering and design of fiber optic special effects and manufacturing of fiber optic products.  He eventually settled in Long Beach which became home for over 40 years.  Michael designed, developed, invented, manufactured and patented numerous fiber optic technologies and secured their intellectual properties worldwide.  He published numerous technical papers and business articles on fiber optic technology over the years. He held numerous patents, licenses, copyrights and trademarks.    Michael earned the prestigious THEA Award for Mystery Lodge at Knott’s Berry Farm in 1996 for special fiber optic lighting effects.  Some of his special effects clients include:  Steven Spielberg of music, light and sound special effects for Universal Studies, E.T. Adventure, The Ride.  The Fiber Optic Disneyland Sign in Anaheim, CA, Captain EO, The NASA Space Center in Houston, Jesus Christ Super Star Musical, M.A.G.I.C International and many hotels casinos in Las Vegas, NV.  Michael manufactured the fiber optic Main Street Electrical Parade signs at Disneyland and lead to the development of the fiber optic Light Magic Parade at Disneyland and Disneyworld.  He also had his first production apparel order in 1995 with Disney for animated Main Street Electrical Light Parade jackets.  His first license for fiber optic t-shirts was for the PAC-Man game shirts in 1980.  Some of his fiber optic products include, fiber optic baseball “light” caps (Caplites Up), NFL fiber optic mini and deluxe replica football helmets.  MLB fiber optic baseballs, MLB batting helmets, fiber optic NASCAR cars, jackets, pennants, signs and other related licensed products.   Michael was the Founder, inventor and CFO of the Light Up Balloon Stick Co., Inc., est. 2005.   The Light Up Balloon Stick Co. currently services balloon distributors and Disneyland theme parks worldwide.      Close friends and family remember Michael as kind, funny, exciting and a generous human being.  An entrepreneur at heart, a creative artist and a great story teller.  He also was very athletic in many sports playing basketball and watching his team Chicago Bears, “Da Bears”.  A spiritual man with strong faith, he lived life to the fullest.    Michael’s legacy will continue lighting up the world from his creative vision of fiber optic special effects and lighted balloons.  He was a visionary beyond his years, designer and inventor of light up products.  He had a fiber optic philosophy, “If we can drill it or insert  it, we can light it”.    Rest peacefully Michael...You will be dearly missed.    A private ceremony at sea for close friends and family will be scheduled sometime this summer.