Michael J. Fox is speaking out about the injuries he has suffered as a result of his Parkinson’s disease, which he was diagnosed with in 1991 at age 29, the actor revealed in an interview with Variety this week.
The neurological disorder causes unintended stiffness, shakiness and difficulty with coordination, and worsens over time, according to the National Institutes of Health.
“I broke this shoulder — had it replaced. I broke this elbow. I broke this hand. I had an infection that almost cost me this finger. I broke my face. I broke this humerus,” Fox said in an interview with Variety.
“I have aides around me quite a bit of the time in case I fall, and that lack of privacy is hard to deal with,” he said in the interview. “I lost family members, I lost my dog, I lost freedom, I lost health. I hesitate to use the term ‘depression,’ because I’m not qualified to diagnose myself, but all the signs were there.”
“I just enjoy the little math problems of existence,” the actor said. “I love waking up and figuring that stuff out and at the same time being with my family.”
He’s come to a point where he accepts the impacts the debilitating disease may have on his body.
“My problem is I fall down. I trip over things and fall down and break things. And that’s part of having this,” Fox said. “But I hope that, and I feel that, I won’t break as many bones tomorrow. So that’s being optimistic.”
A new documentary about Fox’s life, “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie,” details his successful career, his journey with sobriety, his battle with Parkinson’s, and his determined spirit to continue living on his own terms despite the disease’s immobilizing symptoms.
WATCH: ‘STILL’ A Michael J. Fox Movie — Official Trailer | Apple TV+
He was asked how he feels about people calling him a hero, which he feels honored by – calling it a ‘nice way’ of letting him know that people are moved by his ‘acceptance of things.’ He appreciates that people are taking notice of his commitment to making a difference for those living with Parkinson’s disease.
“No matter how much I sit here and talk to you about how I’ve philosophically accepted it and taken its weight, Parkinson’s is still kicking my ass. I won’t win at this. I will lose,” Fox told the magazine. “But, there’s plenty to be gained in the loss.”
Michael J. Fox concluded in his interview with Variety.
Credit: Variety, GMA, Today, CBS News