Michael J. Fox said he hopes his death will come quietly after spending more than three decades living with Parkinson’s disease.
The 64-year-old actor, who was diagnosed at age 29, spoke candidly about the progression of the illness and his outlook on life in an interview with The Times.
“There’s no timeline, there’s no series of stages that you go through — not in the same way that you would, say, with prostate cancer. It’s much more mysterious and enigmatic,” Fox said.
“There are not many people who have had Parkinson’s for 35 years. I’d like to just not wake up one day. That’d be really cool. I don’t want it to be dramatic. I don’t want to trip over furniture, smash my head,” he added.
Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative neurological disorder that affects the brain and motor function.
Fox said he has had to adapt his work and lifestyle around the symptoms for much of his career.
A doctor once told him that continuing to act might help him manage the condition.
“It was helpful, to a point,” he said.
“And that’s [the point] where I break stuff. It’s absolutely incredible the stuff I broke. In a three-year period, I broke my elbow, I broke my hand, I got a big infection in my hand and I almost lost my finger,” Fox continued.
The actor detailed a series of injuries and surgeries over the years, including fractures and infections.
“It’s terrible,” he said.
“I had all these little bones broken, and it got infected, and they had to cut the bones out because the bones got infected. I broke my other shoulder, had it replaced. I broke my cheekbone. I had a plate here. I’m missing something?” he said.
He added, “It has been just like a tragedy.”
Fox said he is more cautious these days.
“I take it easy now. I don’t walk that much anymore.
“I can walk but it’s not pretty, and it’s a bit dangerous. So I just roll that into my life, you know — no pun intended.”
Despite his health challenges, Fox has remained active in public life.
Last year, he joined Coldplay on stage during the encore of their concert in July, playing the guitar from a wheelchair.
Taking to Instagram the following day, Fox described the concert as “[expletive] mind blowing.”
“There is a time for every band and a band for every time. This is @coldplay’s time.” he wrote.
The appearance came years after an injury left him unable to play an instrument.
The “Back to the Future” star said he remains grateful for his fans and the support he continues to receive.
“I wanted to express my gratitude to them,” he told The Times.
“They’ve given me so much, my life is so amazing,” he added.
“The disease sucks, but … people don’t feel sorry for me. They don’t think I’m pathetic.
“They see me as — well, I couldn’t tell you how they see me, but I sense that they see me as a positive force.”
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