>>> HELP ME OUT HERE.
I MEAN, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
PRESSURE MOUNTING FROM ALL
SIDES.
YOUR FUTURE, YOUR CAREER HANGS
IN THE BALANCE.
WOULD YOU DO SOMETHING YOU KNEW
WAS WRONG?
>> THAT'S A YOUNG MICHAEL J. FOX
AS ALEX P. KEATON ON "FAMILY
TIES" WHICH AIRS ON NBC FOR
SEVEN SEASONS.
THE ROLE EARNED FOX THREE
CONSECUTIVE EMMY AWARDS AS
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A
COMEDY.
DURING THAT RUN, MICHAEL STARRED
AS MARTY McFLY IN "BACK TO THE
FU
FUTURE" WHICH MADE HIM A STAR
AROUND THE WORLD AND LED TO A
PAIR OF SEQUELS.
HE WAS JUST 29 YEARS OLD WHEN IN
1991, AT THE PEAK OF THAT
SUCCESS, HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH
PARKINSON'S DISEASE.
HE CONTINUED TO ACT IN MOVIES
AND ON SHOWS LIKE "SPIN CITY"
BEFORE STEPPING AWAY TO CREATE
HIS NOW FAMOUS PARKINSON'S
RESEARCH FOUNDATION.
MICHAEL HAS WRITTEN A NEW BOOK
CALLED "NO TIME LIKE THE FUTURE"
IN WHICH HE REVEALS HIS RECENT
BREAKING POINT IN A 30-YEAR
PUBLIC FIGHT AGAINST THE
DISEASE.
MICHAEL AND I GOT TOGETHER IN
THE GRAND SUITE OF THE MARK
HOTEL IN NEW YORK FOR A SOCIALLY
DISTANT SUNDAY SIT-DOWN.
EVERYONE IS LIKE, WHAT DID YOU
GET OUT OF THE PANDEMIC?
YOU LITERALLY SAT DOWN AND WROTE
A BOOK.
WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THIS MOMENT
AND THIS TIME THAT YOU WANTED TO
SIT DOWN AND WRITE THIS?
>> I'VE HAD PARKINSON'S FOR 30
YEARS, 100 YEARS.
I HAVE KIND OF MADE PEACE WITH
IT.
I HAD THIS THING HAPPEN THAT
KIND OF -- A TUMOR ON MY SPINE.
I HAD TO HAVE SURGERY ON THAT.
IT WAS PREVENTING ME FROM BEING
PARALYZED.
I HAD TO LEARN TO WALK AGAIN.
>> FOR THREE DECADES SINCE HE
WAS DIAGNOSED WITH PARKINSON'S
DISEASE, MICHAEL J. FOX HAS
PROJECTED HOPE AND OPTIMISM.
IN 2018, HE NEARLY LOST BOTH.
FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE SPINAL
SURGERY, HE WAS AT HOME ALONE
WHEN HE FELL AND SHATTERED HIS
ARM.
>> UNDER THE PHONE AGAINST THE
KITCHEN WALL ON THE FLOOR ALONE
WITH A BROKEN ARM WAITING FOR
THE AMBULANCE TO SHOW UP.
I COULDN'T BELIEVE THE AMOUNT OF
F
FURY I HAD TO LET DOWN MY
SURGEONS BECAUSE I HAD SO
STUBBORN ABOUT BEING
INDEPENDENT.
MY FAMILY HAD BEEN PATIENT
THEN I STARTED TO THINK -- I
COULDN'T PUT A SHINY FACE ON IT,
I COULDN'T MAKE LEMONADE OUT OF
THIS.
I WAS OUT OF THE LEMONADE
BUSINESS.
I FELT MORE SORRY FOR MYSELF.
I HAD NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE.
>> FOR PEOPLE WATCHING WHO DON'T
KNOW, MY FATHER HAS PARKINSON'S.
PEOPLE WATCH YOU PUBLICALLY AND
THEY GO, WOW, HE IS OPTIMISTIC
ALL THE TIME.
AS SOMEBODY WHO WATCHED ON THE
OTHER SIDE, NO, EVERY DAY IS A
BATTLE.
HOW DID YOU CLIMB OUT OF THAT?
HOW DID YOU GET BACK IN THE
LEMONADE BUSINESS?
>> I LOOKED AT MY FAMILY AND MY
FRIENDS AND MY DOG AND I LOOKED
AT MY DOCTORS AND I WENT ON THIS
TV BINGE.
WES
WESTERNS.
I REALIZED, THIS HAPPENED BEFORE
I WAS BORN, THESE SHOWS.
I'M PART OF THE CONTINUUM.
I'M ONE OF THOSE GUYS, I WILL BE
SURVIVED BY MY RERUNS.
>> THIS IS A TRAVESTY.
THIS IS A SIN AGAINST
CAPITALISM.
>> YOU BUILT A TIME MACHINE?
>> A LITTLE BIT OF IMMORTALITY.
ALL THESE THINGS WERE CONNECTED.
THEY POINTED ME TOWARD HOW
GRATEFUL I WAS.
MY INTERACTION WITH MY KIDS.
THEY ARE ALL SMARTER THAN ME,
THAN ME.
I LOOK UP TO THEM.
>> YOUR WIFE.
>> SHE'S AMAZING.
SHE'S ON THE FRONT LINES WITH ME
EVERY DAY.
THE OTHER THING SHE DOES IS, SHE
HAS A FUNNY THING.
WE WILL DEAL WITH TRAGIC LATER.
I'M GOING TO THE STORE.
YOU FALLING DOWN.
I'M GOING TO THE MARKET.
ARE YOU OKAY?
I'M GETTING CHEESE AND BREAD.
DON'T GET UP.
STAY THERE FOR A SECOND.
I'M TAKING THE STATION WAGON.
NOT THAT YOU CARE.
>> MOST PEOPLE KNOW THE STORY
THAT YOU MET ON "FAMILY TIES."
>> ALEX P. KEATON, SOPHOMORE
HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE.
>> CONGRATULATIONS.
>> YOU GET MARRIED.
YOU HAVE A SON.
A SHORT TIME AFTER THAT, YOU ARE
DIAGNOSED AT 29 YEARS OLD WITH
PARKINSON'S DISEASE.
YOU WRITE ABOUT THAT MOMENT IN
THE BOOK AND COMING HOME AND
TELLING HER ABOUT THAT.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS I WELL LOVE
HER FOR IS THAT MOMENT SHE
DIDN'T BLINK.
>> SHE HASN'T SINCE, HAS SHE?
>> NO.
SORRY.
>> IT'S NOT THE KIND OF THING --
I KNOW, MIKE.
I KNOW.
IT'S NOT THE KIND OF THING YOU
CAN DO WITHOUT A PARTNER.
>> NO.
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A PARTNER.
>> MICHAEL AND TRACY LIVE IN NEW
YORK CITY WHERE THEY RAISE THEIR
FOUR CHILDREN.
>> THE HALLWAY.
MY CHILDREN AT A YOUNGER AGE.
>> I COULDN'T HELP BUT NOTICE
WHEN WE WALKED IN, THE REAL
CELEBRITY IN THE ROOM, GUS.
HE IS A RESCUE DOG.
>> HE RESCUED ME.
MY SON WENT TO COLLEGE.
I NEEDED MALE ENERGY.
>> A DUDE IN THE HOUSE.
LOOK AT THIS.
FIVE EMMYS.
THAT'S 1987, "FAMILY TIES."
THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE SHELF.
A GRAMMY.
>> I HAD TO PUT IT SOMEWHERE.
DIDN'T WANT TO GET UP AND TRIP
OVER IT.
THESE THINGS ARE SHARP.
>> AT AGE 40, WITH THE DISEASE
PROGRESSING, FOX RETIRED FROM
ACTING.
IMMEDIATELY TURNED HIS ENERGY
TOWARDS FINDING A CURE.
HE CREATED THE MICHAEL J. FOX
NOW THE WORLD'S PREEMINENT
ORGANIZATION FOR PARKINSON'S
RESEARCH.
>> STARTED THE FOUNDATION FROM
>> WHEN YOU STARTED THAT, YOU
NEVER COULD HAVE IMAGINED WHAT
YOU BUILT.
>> BEST PEOPLE ON IT DOING THE
BEST WORK THEY CAN AS QUICKLY AS
THEY CAN.
RESPONSIBLE FOR 17 ACTIVE
THERAPIES THAT ARE BEING USED
THAT WERE NEVER THOUGHT OF
BEFORE.
WE FUNDED A BILLION DOLLARS IN
RESEARCH.
THIS IS OUR 20th YEAR.
IF WE KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE
2020, WE WOULD HAVE STARTED A
YEAR EARLIER OR LATER.
THIS YEAR REALLY BLOWS.
>> AS THE FOUNDATION GREW AND HE
BECAME THE FAMILIAR, HOPEFUL
FACE OF PARKINSON'S, MICHAEL
RETURNED TO ACTING.
INCORPORATING THE DISEASE INTO
ROLES ON "THE GOOD WIFE" AND
"RESCUE ME."
THE LATTER EARNING HIM A FIFTH
EMMY APART.
>> HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> I'M IN A WHEELCHAIR.
OTHER THAN THAT, I HAVE PLANS.
>> TODAY, FOX HAS REDISCOVERED
HIS OPTIMISM.
AS HE QUITE LITERALLY TAKES LIFE
ONE STEP AT A TIME.
>> YOU HAVE TO PLANT YOUR HEEL
AND SHIFT YOUR HIPS AND TRANSFER
WEIGHT.
ALL THIS MECHANICAL -- YOU HAVE
TO GO THROUGH IT TO GET THROUGH
A CUP OF COFFEE.
EVERY STEP IS PRECIOUS.
>> IF YOU ARE IN A RESTAURANT, I
HAVE TO GET FROM HERE TO THAT
CHAIR, IN YOUR CASE --
>> THE BUSBOY DARTS IN FRONT OF
YOU.
>> DO YOU GET TIRED OF PEOPLE
ASKING HOW YOU ARE DOING?
>> NO.
IT'S FUNNY, SOMETIMES I WANT TO
GO, REALLY, YOU WANT TO KNOW?
PULL UP A CHAIR.
I CAN GIVE YOU 45 MINUTES.
IF YOU WANT THE SHORT ANSWER,
I'M FEELING GREAT.
ACCEPT IT AND MOVE ON.
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, FIND A
BUNCH.
THAT'S THE THING.
IT'S A CHOICE.
IN A WAY IT ISN'T.
I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY
OTHER TWIST THAN TO HOPE FOR THE
BEST AND WORK TOWARD IT.
>> YOU CANNOT HELP BUT BE
OPTIMISTIC AROUND MICHAEL.
HIS NEW BOOK IS AVAILABLE NOW.
AS MICHAEL SAID, THE MICHAEL J.
FOX FOUNDATION FOR PARKINSON'S
RESEARCH IS CELEBRATING ITS 20th
ANNIVERSARY.
I'M PROUD TO SAY I SIT ON THE
BOARD OF THE FOUNDATION WHICH
HAS DONE SO MUCH GOOD FOR
PARKINSON'S FAMILIES LIKE OURS.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE SUNDAY SIT-DOWN
PODCAST TO HEAR THE FULL
INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL J.