07 May 2023 , 08:00
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Michael J Fox has battled Parkinson's disease for more than 30 years and he's faced a lot of emotional struggles following the devastating diagnosis.
The actor was diagnosed with the incurable disease in 1991, at just 29 years old and shortly after his rise to fame as Marty McFly in Back To The Future.
He first realised something was wrong following a night out in 1990, when he woke up with a twitching little finger.
The Hollywood star visited a neurologist the following year after the movements didn't stop and was diagnosed with Parkinson's.
Michael decided not to go public with his illness until seven years later in 1998.
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Now 61, he's made the heartbreaking admission he probably won't reach his 80th birthday and revealed he was driven to alcohol abuse when he was first diagnosed.
Michael J Fox is battling Parkinson's disease (Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)Michael said he would also take dopamine pills during the early years in the hope of hiding his symptoms.
The Teen Wolf actor is set to open up about his experiences with Parkinson's in a new documentary titled Still: A Michael J Fox Movie.
In the film, he talks about his reaction to being diagnosed and the impact it has had on his life.
"I was the Prince of Hollywood," he said.
The actor revealed that when the doctor informed him he had Parkinson's, Michael said: "You know who you're talking to, right? I'm not supposed to get this."
He added: "You think [life's] made of brick and rock. But it's not. It's made out of paper and feathers. It's an illusion."
He rose to fame as Marty McFly in Back To The Future (Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock)In the years that followed his diagnosis, Michael sought solace in alcohol. In the documentary, he admits he "drank to dissociate".
He added that he took dopamine pills and held props in his left hand while on set to hide his shaking.
"I was definitely an alcoholic. But I've gone 30 years without having a drink," he said defiantly.
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One person who has stood by Michael throughout his health struggles is his wife of 35 years Tracy Pollan.
The couple met on the set of Family Ties in 1985 when Tracy was cast as his character's love interest, and the pair later married in 1988.
Tracy Pollan has stood by her husband through his struggles (AFP via Getty Images)
The pair have been married for 35 years (Getty Images The Michael J. Fox Foundation)The 62-year-old had a simple and sweet message which helped her husband through some of his toughest moments.
After Michael revealed his diagnosis, Tracy whispered: "In sickness and in health."
Speaking on CBS Sunday Morning ahead of the release of his documentary, Michael explained how he has changed his approch to life after finding out he has Parkinson's.
"My life is set up so... I can pack Parkinson's along with me if I have to. You don’t die from Parkinson's. You die with Parkinson's," he said.
Michael also explained how those suffering from Parkinson's are at greater risk of falling, choking, or getting sick with a cold, which can in turn prove fatal.
Michael made a heartbreaking admission about the time he has left (Getty Images)Heartbreakingly, he added: "I've been thinking about the mortality of it… I'm not gonna be 80."
Michael retired from acting in 2020 and is now writing books about his experience. He also funds research in Parkinson's through his Michael J. Fox Foundation.
His teams are currently working on creating new ways to detect and treat the disease.
"The idea of a biomarker, a way to identify the disease before the disease is present," he told Entertainment Tonight.
"By the time I was diagnosed, I had a little twitch in my pinky but with this, we can identify the disease really early and help progression and essentially cure ahead of the game."
Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie will premiere globally on Apple TV+ on May 12.