Camilla Jessen
Michael J. Fox reflects on life with Parkinson’s
Michael J. Fox, one of Hollywood’s most admired figures, has spent decades redefining what it means to live with Parkinson’s disease.
Diagnosed at 29
Diagnosed at just 29 years old, the Back to the Future star has continued to face every setback with humor and good spirit.
Now 64, Fox recently opened up about the physical toll of his illness.
“I wake up and get the message…”
In an interview with People, Fox described how unpredictable his days can be.
“I wake up and get the message of what the day is gonna be like, and I try to adjust to it,” he said.
“I keep getting new challenges physically, and I get through it. I roll around in a wheelchair a lot, and it took some getting used to.”
Focus on Family
Despite those challenges, Fox said he continues to focus on what he can control: his attitude, his family, and his mission to fund Parkinson’s research.
No longer walks regularly
Fox revealed that he no longer walks regularly because of frequent falls and injuries, which have become increasingly dangerous.
“I can walk, but it’s not pretty and it’s a bit dangerous,” he admitted.
Years of performing his own stunts have compounded the issue.
“In a three-year period I broke my elbow, I broke my hand, I got a big infection in my hand and I almost lost my finger,” Fox told The Times.
Three decades of living with Parkinson’s
Since his diagnosis in 1991, Fox has navigated the progressive disease with unrelenting honesty.
Early on, he tried to hide his tremors while on set, even clutching props during filming to mask the symptoms.
But as his condition advanced, he chose to confront it publicly, becoming one of the most outspoken advocates for Parkinson’s awareness and research.
$2 billion for Parkinson’s research
Through the Michael J. Fox Foundation, he has raised over $2 billion for Parkinson’s research.
In 2025, he was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his decades of advocacy.
A tireless optimist
He has also remained creatively active, co-writing a memoir titled Future Boy and appearing on Apple TV’s Shrinking alongside Harrison Ford.
“I see other people’s work, and it makes me think that I might be able to find something that’s for me as an actor and as a writer,” Fox said.
“And as a parent, husband and friend, I have a lot left to do.”
Facing mortality with honesty
Fox has long spoken openly about the dangers Parkinson’s patients face, from falling to choking and pneumonia.
“You don’t die from Parkinson’s. You die with Parkinson’s,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about the mortality of it… I’m not gonna be 80.”
Finding peace
Now, Fox’s focus is on family and fulfillment rather than fame.
He spends most of his time with his wife, actress Tracy Pollan, and their children.
“Life is about acceptance and adaptation,” he said. “I may not move the same way, but I can still move people.”
This article is made and published by Camilla Jessen, which may have used AI in the preparation
