Michael J. Fox Opens Up About His Parkinson’s Challenges: I’m ‘Thinking About The Mortality Of It’

Michael J. Fox is opening up about his over 30-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. The 61-year-old actor sat down for an interview with CBS Sunday Morning’s Jane Pauley, which is set to air on April 30, and in a preview for the interview released on Friday, Michael revealed that dealing with the incurable disease is getting more challenging as he ages. “I had spinal surgery. I had a tumor on my spine. And it was benign, but it messed up my walking. And then, started to break stuff. Broke this arm, and I broke this arm, I broke this elbow. I broke my face. I broke my hand. Which is a big killer with Parkinson’s. It’s falling and aspirating food and getting pneumonia. All these subtle ways that get ya. You don’t die from Parkinson’s. You die with Parkinson’s. So I’ve been thinking about the mortality of it. I’m not gonna be 80. I’m not gonna be 80,” he said. Michael was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease in 1991 when he was just 29 years old.