Michael J Fox Feared Tracy Would Leave Him after Parkinson’s Diagnosis at 29, but One Day Changed Everything

• Michael J. Fox and his wife, Tracy Pollan, are celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary.
• The actor once feared Pollan would leave him after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's at 29.
• Pollan stood by her wedding vows and supported Fox in sickness and health throughout his life, for better or worse.

Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan are celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary! The lovely couple first met in 1985 when they played love interests on "Family Ties."

However, their love story didn't start that year. They were both devoted to their partners at the time. Fox was with Nancy McKeon, while Pollan was dating Kevin Bacon.

In 1988, Fox and Pollan starred in the drama "Bright Lights, Big City," and their love could no longer be denied. Within seven months, Fox asked Pollan for her hand in marriage. Their union has been going strong since.

The loving couple paid tribute to one another to mark their 35th anniversary. "Happy anniversary, my love. Here's to many more glorious adventures together," Pollan wrote. "Could not love you more."

Fox shared several photos of them when they were younger, looking back at the beautiful life they've built together. "35 years of laughter, living, listening, and loving you," he said. "Thank you for it all. Forever yours, Mike."

Looking Back at 35 Years

At 29 years old, Fox noticed something wrong with his health shortly after marrying Pollan. He woke up, seeing his pinky was "auto-animated." Shortly after, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's is a degenerative condition with no cure. It affects the central nervous system and motor functions when the disease progresses.

Fox was worried about telling his wife. It was about to change the entire dynamic of their relationship, but to his surprise, she did not leave his side. He recalled the moment, saying:

"I told Tracy the news. 'In sickness and in health,' I remember her whispering."

At the time, Fox also assured Pollan that everything would be okay. However, deep inside, he was freaking out, unsure of what would come.

He and Pollan chose not to share the news outside their trusted circle of family and friends. While they handled it quietly, Fox eventually got depressed over his situation and began using alcohol to cope.

The actor admitted he used to drink to party, but at that point in his life, he drank alone every day so that he didn't need to be present.

He hid alcohol bottles from his wife at home and isolated himself from his family. It took a toll on their marriage because Pollan did not want to live like that for the rest of her life.

After that difficult time, Fox decided to go to therapy, and his situation became clear. He needed to take things one day at a time, and since then, his life blossomed.

He realized Pollan wasn't leaving him despite his diagnosis, and this realization led to an even better marriage. It never occurred to Pollan not to be married to her husband, regardless of whether he was ill or not.

She never wanted to leave their marriage because of his illness, and she always had a hunch that she'd be his wife forever.

Any time she said this wasn't what she expected of their marriage, it wasn't because of Parkinson's. "It was about his doubting and the behavior that came out of that fear," she clarified.

However, when Fox managed his emotions, he became so relaxed and accepting of his life. It made it easy for Pollan to follow suit.

Not only did his marriage become smooth sailing, but his career started to take off some more. In the 1990s alone, he had several movies coming out each year, along with the TV show "Spin City."

By 1998, Fox could no longer hide his condition from people. He revealed he had Parkinson's, and since that day, he has become the celebrity face of the cause.

He and his wife have spent years raising money for research and awareness of Parkinson's through the Michael J. Fox Foundation. It has become the largest non-profit funder of Parkinson's research worldwide.

Chris Rock hosted and spoke wisely about marriage vows during one of their foundation's events. He said vows shouldn't dwell on riches, or being better, as clearly, a couple would stay together through all the highs of life.

Rather, Rock believes the question should be whether a spouse is willing to stick through being sick and broke. If the answer is yes, then the marriage is the real deal.

Discovering his Parkinson's diagnosis was a low point in Fox's life, but the lowest of all lows came in 2018.

Fox and Pollan grew up with big families with a good sense of humor. They were also both middle children, and they always believed "it was us against the world" – at least, that's how they built their marriage.

Fox and Pollan are proud parents to twin daughters Aquinnah Kathleen and Schuyler Phyllis Fox, born on February 15, 1995. They welcomed their third daughter Esme Annabelle on November 3, 2001.

Discovering his Parkinson's diagnosis was a low point in Fox's life. But, the lowest of all lows came in 2018 when doctors found a benign tumor on his spine, causing him tremendous back pain.

If the actor didn't get operated on immediately, he was bound for paralysis. However, even the operation was complex, as it meant having to carefully remove it without further damaging the spinal cord.

Four months later, he had slowly learned how to walk again. While on vacation in Martha's Vineyard with his family, Fox returned to their New York apartment alone to film a cameo for Spike Lee the following day.

On the day of the shoot, he slipped and fell, breaking his arm. "That was definitely my darkest moment," the actor admitted.

Through it all, Fox admits it's because of his wife that he found the will to carry on. He went so far as to say he'd be "dead" without Pollan.

In the same way that Fox takes things one day at a time, he also literally takes his time when walking. He likened walking to a math problem, admitting he must take it slow.

Despite all the difficulties, Fox now enjoys his life with his wife and three daughters. His life is much quieter than it used to be, but he admits to having a good time.

"Every day, we have something we laugh about for a good two minutes," he once shared. He is grateful for the support his wife gives her.

Thanks to her support, he doesn't feel labeled by Parkinson's. He is first a husband, a father, and a friend. When people ask Fox how his wife Tracy is doing, he proudly replies, "Married to me, still." They are madly in love with one another, with no signs of stopping.