What Michael J. Fox Just Admitted About His Health

Michael J. Fox has shared an update on his health in the wake of his Parkinson's diagnosis. "Back To The Future" star Fox was first diagnosed  with Parkinson's in 1991 when he was 29 years old and has been very open about his experiences since.

Speaking to People in 1999 about the moment he knew something was wrong, he shared he noticed his little finger twitching while on a movie set. He then learned his diagnosis from a doctor and called it "incomprehensible" that he had Parkinson's, though it came with some good news as the doctor claimed he "would be able to function for years and years." But the next few years brought more problems as the disease took more of a hold and Fox began to experience more "stiffness and tremors" on his left side.

Fox continued to work though, acting in several TV shows and movies before retiring in 2020. Fox opened up about the decision in his book, "No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality," admitting "not being able to speak reliably is a game-breaker for an actor" while also sharing he was having trouble remembering lines. "There is a time for everything, and my time of putting in a 12-hour workday, and memorizing seven pages of dialogue, is best behind me," he added, noting he could still return, but was at peace with his decision.

Now, he's sharing some great news about his health and how he's really doing decades after his diagnosis.

Michael J. Fox had a positive updated on how he's doing for the December 2021/January 2022 issue of AARP, sharing that he's doing "above average, for a brain-damaged man" and beat the odds after originally being told by a doctor he'd only be able to work for around a decade after his diagnosis (he instead worked for around 30 years). 

Fox joked that he's "kind of a freak," adding, "It's weird that I've done as well as I have for as long as I have," while noting that how physically affected he is by Parkinson's can differ from day to day. "The disease is this thing that attached to my life — it isn't the driver. And because I have assets, I have access to things others don't," he continued.

The star also sweetly shared how being grateful for what he has gets him through the darker times. "I am genuinely a happy guy. I don't have a morbid thought in my head — I don't fear death. At all," he shared. "If you don't think you have anything to be grateful for, keep looking."

The star has been very active in helping others with the disease over the years, founding The Michael J. Fox Foundation, which he celebrated 20 years of back in October. "The disease is a problem that will be there until you solve it. But we're hopeful," he told People at the time.

Michael J. Fox's time with Parkinson's disease certainly hasn't been without many challenges since his original diagnosis, including a very difficult time after a surgery in 2018 that saw him be a little "careless" and break his arm. Fox opened up about the incident — which he described as being his "bottom" — to "Good Morning America," recalling feeling "so useless."

Fox called the accident "so pointless and so stupid [and] so avoidable," adding, "I have to think before I walk; I can't just get up and go because I don't have much control of my momentum and control of my direction."

He also recalled the very low moment in a 2020 interview with USA Today, admitting he felt like an "idiot." Fox said to himself, "'All this time you've been telling everybody to be optimistic, chin-up, and you're miserable now. There's nothing but pain and regret. There's no way to put a shine on this.'" Fox had to fight hard to get himself back to the positive place he's in today, admitting that although he still very much believed being positive was his best way of staying healthy, he "questioned it really severely" at that very low point.

Michael J. Fox also opened up about whether or not he expects there to be a cure for Parkinson's disease in his lifetime, but, sadly, he wasn't overly optimistic while speaking to AARP. He had a very honest response when asked about the chances, admitting, "I'm really blunt with people about cures. I'm 60 years old, and science is hard. So, no."

But that doesn't mean he's given up hope completely, and it certainly doesn't mean he's not trying. Speaking about the Michael J. Fox Foundation, he shared what he founded all those years ago has since "become this giant network of patients, scientists and institutions." He added "patients are the key" to finding a cure and are helping "guide our agenda" to "identify the disease in people before symptoms are evident, and to treat it pro-actively and get rid of it."

Fox previously shared how pleasantly surprised he was after sharing his diagnosis publicly, telling Entertainment Tonight in October that people "responded with interest, in the desire to find an answer to the disease." He added that it was through that he "saw that as a great opportunity" and knew he "didn't get put in this position to squander it."

But while it could take a while for a cure, there's no doubting Fox's tireless efforts are extremely inspiring. It's no surprise then that the selfless actor is the 2022 AARP Purpose Prize Honoree. A much deserved honor.