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Michael J. Fox is hoping his death isn’t “dramatic” after battling Parkinson’s disease for the past 35 years.
Fox opened up about his future with the “mysterious” disease, which he was first diagnosed with at age 29.
“There’s no timeline, there’s no series of stages that you go through — not in the same way that you would, say, with prostate cancer. It’s much more mysterious and enigmatic,” the now 64-year-old actor told The Times.
“There are not many people who have had Parkinson’s for 35 years,” Fox continued. “I’d like to just not wake up one day. That’d be really cool. I don’t want it to be dramatic. I don’t want to trip over furniture, smash my head.”
MICHAEL J FOX ADMITS IT’S ‘HARD FOR ME’ TO MAINTAIN HUMOR DURING PARKINSON’S BATTLE
Michael J. Fox revealed his hopes for a peaceful death amid his Parkinson’s battle. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
Parkinson’s disease, a degenerative brain disorder, affects the nervous system and mobility, according to the Mayo Clinic. Throughout his prolific acting career, Fox has had to find ways to work around his Parkinson’s disease symptoms. A doctor once told him acting would help him cope with the symptoms of the disease, The Times reported.
“It was helpful, to a point,” Fox explained. “And that’s [the point] where I break stuff. It’s absolutely incredible the stuff I broke. In a three-year period, I broke my elbow, I broke my hand, I got a big infection in my hand and I almost lost my finger.”
“I’d like to just not wake up one day. That’d be really cool. I don’t want it to be dramatic. I don’t want to trip over furniture, smash my head.”
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Michael J. Fox in a scene from the film “Back to the Future Part III.” (Universal Pictures/Getty Images)
At one point, the “Back to the Future” star lost the ability to play a guitar he now keeps beside his office desk.
“It’s terrible,” he said. “I had all these little bones broken, and it got infected, and they had to cut the bones out because the bones got infected. I broke my other shoulder, had it replaced. I broke my cheekbone. I had a plate here. I’m missing something?”
“It has been just like a tragedy,” he added.
“I take it easy now,” Fox noted. “I don’t walk that much anymore. I can walk but it’s not pretty and it’s a bit dangerous. So I just roll that into my life, you know — no pun intended.”
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Michael J. Fox and wife Tracy Pollan attend the 39th Primetime Emmy Awards, where the “Spin City” star won an Emmy for lead actor in a comedy series. (Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images)
Fox first gained fame for his role in “Family Ties.” The actor received three Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Alex P. Keaton in the sitcom. While filming “Family Ties,” Fox landed the role of Marty McFly – one that would change the trajectory of his career.
“Back to the Future” gave Fox international fame. Fox attended a convention tied to the Robert Zemeckis-directed film a few years ago.
“I thought, well, I’ll do this for the fans,” he told The Times. “I realized — no, it wasn’t for them, it was for me.
Michael J. Fox speaks during a “Back To The Future Reunion” panel at New York Comic Con on Oct. 8, 2022. (Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
“I wanted to express my gratitude to them. They’ve given me so much, my life is so amazing. The disease sucks, but … people don’t feel sorry for me. They don’t think I’m pathetic. They see me as – well, I couldn’t tell you how they see me, but I sense that they see me as a positive force.”
Fox hasn’t given up acting all these years later. He will appear in the upcoming third season of Apple TV+’s “Shrinking,” years after taking a step back from the big screen.
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