Michael J. Fox has faced Parkinson’s disease with a remarkable sense of positivity for over three decades—a mindset he credits to his late mother, Phyllis, who passed away in September at the age of 92.
“My mom lived a long and fulfilling life,” said Fox, 61. “She was an incredible woman—respected, fair, and always full of laughter. She loved to laugh; it was part of her essence.”
When Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at just 29 years old in 1991, Phyllis initially expressed concern. At the time, he was balancing a thriving acting career, starting a family with his wife, actress Tracy Pollan, and laying the groundwork for what would later become the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
“When she asked how I managed it all, I told her, ‘I just keep moving forward,’” Fox recalls. “I don’t dwell on what’s not going to happen. Instead, I focus on what can. My mom was the same—she didn’t count losses; she counted blessings.”
Fox traces his resilience back to his upbringing. As the son of William, a Canadian Army veteran, and Phyllis, the glue of the family, he and his four siblings learned the value of adaptability. Military life taught the family to lean on one another and make the best of new situations.
“Army wives are masters of adaptation,” Fox explains. “They know how to set up a new home, get the kids in school, and even take on a side job—because military pay isn’t much. As kids, we didn’t understand that. But now, I do.”
Through his foundation, Fox has raised over $1.5 billion for Parkinson’s research. However, the past year has tested his trademark optimism as he dealt with several injuries, including fractures to his hand, shoulder, arm, and elbow.
Despite the challenges, Fox is now in recovery and feeling stronger every day. “I’m just about healed now. My arm feels great, and life is fascinating,” he shares. “This is what you get—it’s about adapting and moving forward.”
In difficult times, Fox leans on a philosophy he developed after undergoing spinal surgery in 2018 to remove a tumor from his spine.
“If I can find one thing to be grateful for in any situation, it shifts my entire perspective,” he says. “Gratitude opens the door for grace and the possibility of something good happening. That’s where I’m finding myself again, and it feels really good.”
Fox’s journey is a testament to resilience, gratitude, and the power of positivity in overcoming life’s challenges.
