Michael J. Fox has been a beacon of positivity for over thirty years as he navigates his journey with Parkinson’s disease. This outlook is something he attributes to his late mother, Phyllis, who passed away at the age of 92 in September.
“My mum had a long and fulfilling life,” recalls Fox, now 61. “She was incredibly respected, a lovely lady with a fair heart who loved to laugh at every opportunity.”
The journey began when Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at 29, an age when he was still a rising star in Hollywood and also starting a family. Phyllis was understandably concerned when he shared the news with her.
During this time, he was balancing the demands of a busy career and his budding family with actress Tracy Pollan, whom he married in 1988. Their son Sam was born in 1989, followed by twin daughters Aquinnah and Schuyler in 1995, and their youngest, Esmé in 2001.
When Phyllis asked how he managed everything on his plate, Fox had a simple answer: “I just go forward.” He wasn’t about counting losses, but rather focusing on the positives, a mindset shared by his mother.
Fox’s resilience stems from lessons learned in his childhood, under the care of both Phyllis and his father, William, who passed away in 1990. Being a child in a military family, Fox, along with his four siblings, learned the importance of sticking together while Phyllis held the family unit strong.
“Army wives are great at adapting to change,” Fox says, acknowledging his mother’s tenacity. “They’re skilled at setting up new homes, getting the kids into schools, and finding ways to pitch in financially. It made sense to me as an adult, though it was a mystery as a child.”
Fox has been instrumental in raising more than $1.5 billion for Parkinson’s research through his Michael J. Fox Foundation. Despite suffering various injuries such as a broken hand, shoulder, right arm, and elbow this past year, his optimism remains steadfast.
Thankfully, his recovery is progressing nicely, and he describes feeling invigorated as his health improves. “I’m just coming out of the pain and my arm feels great,” he notes cheerfully. “Life certainly keeps you on your toes, but that’s part of the adventure.”
In periods of struggle, Fox leans on a guiding principle he established after enduring a critical spinal cord surgery in 2018, aimed at removing a tumor.
“When you find gratitude in any circumstance,” he explains, “it shifts your perspective and opens the door to grace and good things happening. I’m trying to get back into that positive groove and it feels wonderful.”
