Michael J. Fox: From a Parkinson’s Diagnosis at 29 to More Than $3 Billion for Research

For millions of movie and television fans, Michael J. Fox will always be associated with characters who seemed incapable of standing still.

As Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties, he became one of television’s most recognizable young stars.

Then came Marty McFly.

Back to the Future transformed Fox into an international movie star and became the highest-grossing film of 1985.

During his twenties, Fox was working at a pace that would have been remarkable for almost any performer.

He completed seven seasons of Family Ties and appeared in 10 feature films during that decade, including Teen Wolf, The Secret of My Success, Casualties of War and the Back to the Future films.

From the outside, his career appeared to be accelerating.

Privately, however, something unexpected was about to change his life.

And it began with something remarkably small.

A Tremor in His Pinky Finger

In 1991, while working on Doc Hollywood, Fox noticed a tremor in his pinky finger.

He sought medical advice.

A neurologist eventually delivered a diagnosis that Fox could hardly have expected at his age.

It was Parkinson’s disease.

Fox was only 29.

Parkinson’s is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement and can produce symptoms including tremor, stiffness, slowed movement and problems with balance.

Symptoms and progression vary significantly from person to person.

Fox’s diagnosis was considered young-onset Parkinson’s because it occurred well before the age at which the disease is most commonly diagnosed.