Michael J. Fox has bravely lived with Parkinson’s disease for decades, facing its challenges head-on while becoming a tireless advocate for awareness and research. Diagnosed in the early ’90s, the now-retired actor has never shied away from sharing the difficult realities of his journey — and now, at 61, he admits things are only getting tougher.
In a recent candid interview, the Back to the Future star reflected on the physical toll the disease has taken on him and opened up about his thoughts on mortality.
“I won’t sugarcoat it — it’s getting harder,” Fox said. “Every day’s a bit tougher, but that’s just the way it is. What can you do?”
He revealed that a benign tumor on his spine required surgery, which impacted his ability to walk. Since then, he’s suffered multiple injuries from falls, breaking his arms, hand, elbow, and even his face.
“You don’t die from Parkinson’s — you die with it,” he explained. “I’ve been thinking about that… I don’t think I’ll make it to 80.”
In his upcoming documentary Still, Fox offers a raw, unfiltered look into his life since his diagnosis, admitting, “I’m in constant pain. Each tremor feels like a mini earthquake.” He goes on to describe the agony not just in movement, but in the stillness that follows — the kind that becomes “a burning, unspent energy.”
Despite it all, Fox refuses to lose hope. “I’ve broken just about everything, but you suck it up. That’s life. Nobody hands you a refund.”
He added that while the physical and emotional strain is intense, he hasn’t lost the will to keep going. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said firmly. “There’s still so much in my life worth celebrating.”
