The life that Michael J. Fox has been able to live over the past three decades is largely due to the contributions made by his actress wife, Tracy Pollan. Despite the many obstacles they have faced together, Fox and Pollan have shown to be an unbreakable couple.
When Fox had to tell his wife the news of his diagnosis, the couple had been married for a relatively short amount of time at that point. She chose to remain at his side rather than go, and the two of them have created a wondrous world together.
The character of Alex P. Keaton, which Fox played on the successful sitcom “Family Ties,” is largely responsible for his rise to fame. Before making his return to television in the 1990s with the show “Spin City,” he was also a leading man in the film “Back to the Future” and its sequels, as well as “Teen Wolf.”
Announcing in late 1999 that he had been battling Parkinson’s disease since 1991 and that he had undergone brain surgery to alleviate the tremors caused by the disease, Fox made the announcement just as his career was progressing to the next level.
Fox said early in the year 2000 that he would be leaving the show “Spin City,” which he also executive produced, despite the show’s huge popularity and a flurry of awards from the Emmys and the Golden Globes. He desired to devote more time to his family in addition to his efforts to raise awareness and funds for Parkinson’s disease research.
Fox was honored with an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his work on the last season of “Spin City,” in addition to receiving the respect and backing of the Hollywood community. Following the conclusion of the fourth season of “Spin City” and the show’s 100th episode, Michael J. Fox established the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research in May of the year 2000.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research is a charitable organization whose mission is to accelerate the discovery of a treatment or cure for Parkinson’s disease and to ensure the continued improvement of existing therapies for people who are currently afflicted with the condition.
It is now widely acknowledged that the foundation holds the title of being the largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s disease pharmaceutical development in the entire globe.
Pollan, who is married to Fox, has also enjoyed a fruitful and successful career and has been in a number of films. Along the same lines as her husband, Pollan values the time she gets to spend with her family and focuses on creating memories with their four children.
The Jewish faith, which she considers to be an essential component of her life, had a significant role in the actress’s upbringing. She was born on Long Island, New York, on June 22, 1960, and her family is originally from Russia.
Before moving on to pursue acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute and the Herbert Berghof Studio, she received her education at the Dalton School, which is located in Manhattan, New York.
After receiving her degree, Pollan decided to pursue a career in acting and has since then had appearances in a number of films and television shows, some of which include “Family Ties,” “Spin City,” “Law & Order,” and “Medium.”
The actress received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in the year 2000 for her performance on the show “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”
Despite the fact that both Fox and Pollan had more than thirty years of experience under their belts, neither star had any idea that it would come to this. Although they have a strong marriage, it was not love at first sight for either of them.
During an interview, Pollan admitted that she required some additional time to get comfortable with Fox. In 1985, while Pollan was trying out for a part on “Family Ties,” which he eventually got, the two of them crossed paths and became friends.
Pollan and Fox became good friends, but Fox, who was dating Kevin Bacon at the time, wasn’t immediately taken with her co-star, despite the fact that she was initially attracted to Pollan. She thought he was funny, but she also believed that he had an air of superiority about him.
After only one season on “Family Ties,” Pollen decided to leave the show, but the cast members were able to work together again in the film “Bright Lights, Big City” two years later.
During Pollan’s audition, Fox, who was still captivated by her performance, asked her about the status of her romantic relationships. After she informed him that she was not in a relationship, he invited her to lunch. After that, the two of them started dating, and then one year later, they got married.
It has been almost three decades since Fox said his final farewell to drinking, but the transition was not an easy one for him. After receiving a diagnosis that would drastically alter his life, the actor eventually became addicted to alcohol because he believed that it was the only way for him to deal with the emotional fallout.
In the year 1990, when Fox woke up one morning, he saw that his left pinkie was twitching incessantly. In the year 1991, following a visit to a doctor in Manhattan, he was given a diagnosis with young-onset Parkinson’s disease.
Fox returned home after receiving the life-changing information and quietly informed his wife, Pollan, about it in an adjacent corridor. They both started crying and comforted one another by hugging.
The man, who was 61 years old, endeavored to lead a normal life and forget about the diagnosis. Instead, he disregarded the guidance of his wife and took any job he could find. Fox ended up leaving himself more vulnerable.
Fox, who had previously cut back on his drinking when the pair married in 1988, resorted to alcohol to relieve the agony and kept empty bottles from his wife at home. Fox had previously cut back on his drinking. He began to cut himself off from his wife and children and his other relatives.
The actor’s drinking issue had begun to have a negative impact on his young marriage, but everything turned around for him after he got drunk and went home to find a disappointed wife. He made the decision to alter his ways and break his old routines.
When Pollan was diagnosed with cancer, Fox and Pollan’s marriage was still in its early stages; yet, the actress chose to remain by his side despite the seeming difficulty of the situation. The actor previously gushed over his wife, calling her his best friend and praising her for the dedication she had to him.
Fox disclosed that Pollan was always straightforward and forthright with him, never giving him any leeway. He used words like “affectionate” and “kind” to describe her, and he said that she was also intelligent and had a good sense of humor.
Fox is under the impression that he hit the jackpot by being born into such a loving family. The affection and protection that comes from the actor’s family brings him great joy. The actor disclosed that he discussed his predicament with his children, but his family has not been significantly affected as a result of his candor.
His children make very little mention of his illness and treat him with the utmost reverence and affection. Despite his illness, Fox maintains a rather regular life with his children, including going to the movies and traveling on vacation as a family.
Fox and Pollan, like other couples, have their fair share of fights and arguments, but they have made the conscious decision to focus on the positive aspects of their relationship, which has enabled them to remain together for the past 34 years. The two people are still very much in love with each other and are frequently seen spending time together.
When asked about the key to the success of their relationship, the pair stated that it was their ability to comprehend one another’s points of view and objectives. Additionally, Pollan thinks Fox is the funniest man she has ever met, which makes it simple for her to win Fox over to her point of view.