“After a courageous and highly publicized battle with Parkinson’s disease spanning more than three decades, acclaimed actor and activist Michael J. Fox has continued to inspire millions worldwide through his advocacy, raising awareness, supporting groundbreaking research, and demonstrating resilience in the face of a relentless illness.”
Michael J. Fox has been a beloved cultural icon since the 1980s, winning hearts through Family Ties and the Back to the Future trilogy. At the height of his fame, however, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at just 29—beginning a lifelong journey that would redefine his legacy. Now 64, Fox speaks candidly about the growing challenges of the disease, including mobility issues and frequent falls, yet his outlook remains grounded in resilience rather than self-pity. “Every time I fall, I get back up,” he says, a mantra that reflects his enduring spirit.
In 1998, Fox publicly shared his diagnosis and soon founded The Michael J. Fox Foundation, now the world’s largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s research, investing over $2 billion toward treatments and a cure. Supported by his wife Tracy Pollan and their children, Fox continues to inspire millions—not as a movie star, but as a symbol of courage, honesty, and hope in the face of chronic illness.
