Back to the Future star Michael J. Fox has been a household name for decades. The Hollywood icon has won numerous accolades for his on-screen performances and his dedication to raising awareness about Parkinson’s disease. Michael was diagnosed with the illness over three decades ago and founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000. As he continues to advocate for those with the disease, Michael has spoken about his battle many times.
In May 2023, the proud father-of-four released his film Still, a documentary about his life and living with his condition. He recalled the first time he noticed his symptoms in 1990. “I woke up with a ferocious hangover,” Michael shared. “I placed my left hand across the bridge of my nose to block the sunlight. A moth’s wing flattered against my right cheek. I put my hand in front of my face so I could finger flick the beast across the room. That’s what I noticed my pinky, auto-animated. For christ sake, it’s just your freaking finger. But it wasn’t mine. It was somebody else’s.” He concluded, “The trembling was a message from the future.”
Michael was first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, according to his organization’s website. “I was in my late 20s — how could I possibly have this old person’s disease?” Michael wondered in his 2023 documentary. “With no obvious cue, my left hand would begin shaking uncontrollably. I had my internist prescribe medications. Therapeutic value and comfort weren’t the reasons I took these pills. There was only one reason — to hide.”
It would not be until 1998 that the Oscar-winner would be ready to announce his diagnosis to the world. “Day after day, for hours on end, I never gave a second thought of sharing my diagnosis with anyone,” he admitted. “I had work to do.” He was only 29 years old at the time he finally did share the news, meaning he has now been living with Parkinson’s for over half of his life. “The stress of doing a weekly show [Spin City] in front of an audience was exacerbating my symptoms,” Michael shared in his Still documentary. “The whole of my left arm would be shaking forceful enough to shake my entire body. Still, no one outside of my family knew.”
Once he could no longer hide his trembling hand, though, he had to come clean, and it went better than he expected. “I had to hope that they could accept me,” he said. “I got this huge reaction. After all those years of hiding my symptoms, I could let it go. I realized that to do anything, I’m just going to be myself. I was still me. Some people would view the news of my disease as an ending, but I was starting to sense that it was really a beginning.” Since he revealed to the world that he had the condition, he has been very public about his advocacy work against the disease, including starting The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000.
In 2022, Michael opened up about the time he told his wife, Tracy Pollan, about his diagnosis during an interview with CBS Sunday Mornings. “We were just married when I was diagnosed,” he explained at the time. “We’ve been married for 32 years, I’ve been diagnosed for 30 years. Very early in the marriage she got this dumped on.” He noted that the “last time” they cried about his diagnosis was the first time he told her over three decades ago. Since them, they’ve welcomed four kids: Sam Michael, Schuyler Frances, Aquinnah Kathleen, and Esmé Annabelle.
Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that can cause “unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination,” per the National Institute on Aging. The condition progresses slowly and can often make it difficult for a person to speak and walk. The same organization notes that although it is unknown why, often times Parkinson’s effects for men than women. Other symptoms of the disease include “behavioral changes, sleep problems, depression, memory difficulties, and fatigue.”
