Michael J. Fox: Humor, Resilience and Hope

Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd as “Doc,” Dr. Emmett Brown in Back to the Future, 1985  

I have been a loyal fan of Michael J. Fox since he first made me laugh out loud as Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties in the 1980s. 

He makes you feel like you know him; after all, he is in your living room or as large as life in iconic roles on the big screen. 

My son and I are giant fans of the Back to the Future trilogy and watched each one enough to memorize the dialogue. My favorite is “Back to the Future Part Two,” where they travel to 2015 (now back to the past) because of all the “modern” technology, like multi-channel TVs, hoverboards, self-lacing shoes, and flying cars. 

Like many followers, I was shocked when Michael announced in 1998 that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. 

What? That can’t be right. That’s an older person’s disease.

 At the time, he was on a TV show called Spin City, which I faithfully watched. He seemed as energetic, funny, relatable, and healthy as always. In truth, he had been living with the disease for seven years prior, since 1991, when he was 29.

He had years to accept his diagnosis before his public announcement,  so while his fans were grieving for him, he had already moved on mentally. 

At age 36,  the tremors, stiffness, coordination, and balance issues were making hiding his illness nearly impossible. He was forced to reveal his diagnosis and focus on his health for himself and his family.

He said, “You are only as sick as your secrets.” He especially didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him.  

Humor

 While the diagnosis and public awareness could have easily derailed his career and spirit, he faced it head-on with his trademark humor and optimism. 

Michael made guest appearances on shows like The Good Wife, Boston Legal, and Rescue Me, for which he received an Emmy in 2009. He played a character with Parkinson’s, and his appearances made viewers more aware of the disease. 

Michael has a way of making fun of himself that allows you to laugh along yet learn and appreciate his struggle all the more. He does this not so you will have empathy for him but so you will be inspired not only by him but by the other 8.5 million people diagnosed with Parkinson’s as of 2019.   Maybe your life isn’t so bad after all.  

Resilience/Courage. 

 His new documentary/bio, “Still, A Michael J. Fox Movie” on Apple TV,  tells of a tough beginning where he ate packets of IHOP jelly for snacks. He was down to just one section of his living room sectional. Money was tight.

 The Family Ties audition was literally his last chance of making it.  

Brandon Tartikoff (NBC President) was not sold on him for the role. He stated that “he couldn’t see Fox on marketing materials or lunch boxes," as David Cassidy or Donny Osmond had previously done.

On set, while filming the pilot, Michael ad-libbed a middle initial while answering the telephone: “Alex P. Keaton here,” and the audience erupted in laughter. He kept them laughing until the end. Eventually, Tartikoff relented, and a while later, Michael sent him an autographed lunchbox with his image. He had made it! Proper meals were in his future. 

During a filming break, he was informed that Stephen Spielberg was willing to wait for him to begin shooting “Back to the Future” for the role of Marty McFly. He worked on Family Ties in the daytime and Back to the Future at night, often with less than three hours of sleep. With the massive popularity of the show and now the movie, Michael was a household name.  

He admitted his ego became slightly inflated when he met his wife, Tracy, whom he has been married to for thirty-five years. Tracy Pollan never treated him like a celebrity and continues to keep him grounded. They share a beautiful family: four children, including a set of twin girls.

 He had the world by the tail when he first noticed an uncontrollable tremor in his hand at a hotel in Florida. At first, he thought it was from too much drinking with Woody Harrelson the night before, but the symptoms continued and worsened. 

When he was first diagnosed, he tried to drink the thought of it away, accepted movies in other countries to try to escape to places where no one knew him, but also far away from his young son and wife, with the twins on the way.  

Now, he has become an activist for Parkinson’s and hasn’t had a drink in 30 years. In my estimation, he is to be admired, as is his wife, who truly stood by him in “sickness and in health” and through the times when he no longer wanted to be in his own body.

Throughout the documentary, you will still hear his trademark humor, but you will also see his incredible courage. He has had numerous falls, a symptom of the disease that required pins in his face, and numerous surgeries. He continues with physical therapy and is as active as possible. 

Hope 

I was truly moved and inspired by the documentary, and I remembered why I became so fond of Michael J. Fox so many years ago. I admired him for being a talented actor and comedian. Now, his legacy is so much more. He is truly an inspiration for never giving up or letting something outside his control take him down. He’s kept fighting and kept inspiring hope for himself and others afflicted with Parkinson’s.

He still makes me laugh despite the progression of the disease and all that he has gone through for over thirty years. 

He started The Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000, a non-profit organization founded for better treatments and a cure for Parkinson’s. As of 2023, the foundation has raised over one billion dollars for Parkinson’s research projects. 

After watching the documentary,  I wanted to share some insights with you. My posts typically add a comparison or example from my life, but this time, I just wanted to talk about a truly remarkable human, say I’m a fan, and leave it at that.  

 If you are also an admirer of Michael’s and/or have watched “Still, The Michael J. Fox Movie,” please comment below. 

Thanks for reading! 

Now, I will go and donate.

Keep smiling! 

xx