Hollywood
Michael J. Fox reflects on life expectancy with Parkinson’s diagnosis
The beloved actor doesn’t think he will live until 80 years old.
Michael J Fox has been vocal about his health struggles since his Parkinson’s diagnosis. The ‘Back to Future’ actor was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease when he was only 29.
Fox is now 61 and continues to open up about the increasing obstacles that come with the diagnosis as he ages. Recently, he opened up about how everyday functioning is getting increasingly more difficult.
In an interview with Jane Pauley on this weekend’s episode of CBS Sunday Morning, Fox admits his symptoms are getting worse.
“It’s banging on the door,” he explains with frankness.
“Yeah, I mean, I’m not gonna lie. It’s gettin’ hard, it’s gettin’ harder. It’s gettin’ tougher. Every day it’s tougher. But, but that’s — that’s the way it is.”
Fox’s foundation
The actor has been a longtime advocate for Parkinson’s research and has his own foundation to fund the topic. The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research focuses on identifying biogenetic markers that could help with early diagnosis and treatment.
Despite his research, Fox cannot deny his own mortality. He revealed to Pauley that he had spinal surgery for a benign tumor that affected his walking, leading to a slew of problems including two broken arms, a broken hand, and a couple of broken bones in his face.
“[Falling] is a big killer with Parkinson’s,” Fox says. “And aspirating food and getting pneumonia. All these subtle ways that get ya… You don’t die from Parkinson’s. You die with Parkinson’s.” He adds, “I’ve been thinking about the mortality of it… I’m not gonna be 80.”
When was Michael J. Fox diagnosed with Parkinson’s?
Fox was diagnosed in 1991 and initially hid his diagnosis, as he was at the peak of his career. Since then he has been incredibly vocal about his health.
He opens up about his diagnosis in his new documentary ‘Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie,’ which will be released on Apple TV+ on May 12.
Despite the dire diagnosis, Fox remains optimistic.
“I can be optimistic as long as I’m grateful,” he told Entertainment Weekly during a recent interview about the documentary.
“And I can be grateful if I really think about it because I wouldn’t have had the rest of my life if it weren’t for so many things that Tracy [Pollan, his wife], chief among them, came in and intervened in. And it sounds hokey, but to this day, if I can find one little thing to be grateful for, I can be optimistic about it.”