Michael J Fox, 62, Reveals He Doesn't 'Fear' Death amid His over 30-Year Parkinson's Battle

• Michael J. Fox says he is not afraid of death.
• The retired actor got candid about his incurable disease recently.
• He has beat the odds of survival, as many people often die within two decades of diagnosis.

Michael J. Fox has spoken frankly about death, saying people should not be surprised if he were to pass away any day from now. The veteran actor has survived 33 years of living with an incurable disease.

Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease when he was 29 in 1991. It is an incurable degenerative disease that kills most patients within twenty years of diagnosis.

However, Fox is one of the few who has beat the odds, having lived over three decades with the disease. Still, the 62-year-old philanthropist is suffering physically, as he now relies on pills to speak properly to combat paralysis of facial muscles.

In addition to his diagnosis, Fox has faced other health issues, including a spinal tumor that almost left him paralyzed. Moreover, he nearly lost his hand due to an infection and has had a few broken bones over the years.

Fox describes himself as "tough," considering all he has been through, including constantly falling over. In a recent interview, he was asked whether anything scares him, and the film star said:

"Anything that would put my family in jeopardy."

Fox Gets Candid about Death – Inside His Journey with Parkinson's Disease

The Canadian-American activist spoke candidly about death, most recently saying he is not afraid of dying. The retired actor said someday, he will eventually "run out of gas," adding if that day comes, he will accept it:

"[...]If I were to pass away tomorrow, it would be premature, but it wouldn't be unheard of. [...] I don't fear that."

The more the disease advances, the more it requires for him to take medication to animate the muscles until it reaches a point where the medicine becomes less effective or stops working altogether.

Fox experiences side effects as a result, and one of the worst side effects of his medication is dyskinesia — involuntary movements and tics. Despite his diagnosis, the Hollywood star has an interesting perspective on the disease. He said although it has taken things away from him, "it has changed my life in so many positive ways."

When Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's, he was in disbelief because he thought he was way too young. The doctor told him that his career would possibly come to an end in a decade.

Fox, best known for appearing in "Family Ties," alongside Justine Bateman, had kept his diagnosis under wraps for years and collected paychecks from projects that he felt were beneath his talents. He ultimately suffered a breakdown and ended up in therapy after self-medicating with alcohol. But he sobered up following AA meetings.

Fox kept his Parkinson's secret until 1998. That year, he was forced to talk about it because a media outlet was about to break the story about his health that was affecting the schedule of his sitcom, "Spin City."

The television star announced the news to broadcast journalist Barbara Walters and People. Many people became opinionated and asked why Fox kept it to himself, but such comments did not faze him because the only opinion that mattered was his.

Most importantly, his beloved wife, actress Tracy Pollan, had been by his side. Fox said his spouse could have easily left him, but she chose to stay with him. In an April 2023 interview, the beloved star admitted that his health had declined even more, adding it is "getting tougher" as he suffers every day.