Michael J. Fox is opening up about what it’s like to live with Parkinson’s disease — and how he maintains an optimistic attitude while grappling with his mortality.
In a recent interview with CBS Sunday Morning, the 61-year-old actor spoke candidly about his life with the progressive neurological condition, which he has been battling for more than 30 years. His conversation with journalist Jane Pauley was to promote Still, his forthcoming documentary.
“Yeah, I mean, I’m not gonna lie. It’s getting harder,” Fox confessed to Pauley. “It’s getting tougher. Every day gets tougher, but that’s the way it is. Who do I see about that?”
The interview included a clip from the documentary, in which Fox falls, hard, on the sidewalk. When a stranger came over to check if he was okay, he replied, “You knocked me off my feet.”
These days, the Emmy-winning actor often struggles to walk steadily, especially after a recent surgery on his back. Falling is a major hazard for people with Parkinson’s, he explained.
“You don’t die from Parkinson’s; you die with Parkinson’s,” he added. “I’m not gonna be 80.”