Michael J. Fox’s wife Tracy Pollan has revealed the big heart their four children have grown as a result of their father’s Parkinson’s diagnosis.
Fox, 64, was diagnosed with the disease at age 29 in 1991, just three years after tying the knot with Pollan. They share son Sam, 36, daughters Aquinnah and Schuyler, 30, and daughter Esmé, 24.
But Pollan, 65, believes the ailment has brought out ‘an empathy and a protection’ out of the children she shares with Fox.Â
‘I do think that growing up with a parent who has a health challenge, it just brings out an empathy and a protection naturally, and they’ve always been like that,’ she told Page Six at the A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson’s Gala.Â
At the event, the family of six made a rare red carpet appearance together. Â
‘They’re so supportive and so great,’ the longtime actor told People at the event of his loved ones.
Michael J. Fox’s wife Tracy Pollan has offered insight into how their children have developed a strong sense of compassion due to their father’s Parkinson’s diagnosisÂ
‘All these people are friends of mine, family, and it’s really great to see them, and I walk on the red carpet surprised to see them, and I think, ‘Well, why should I be surprised?’
‘They’ve always been there for me, and they continue to be for me, year after year,’ he gushed.
Pollan added that their brood is ‘just incredibly supportive’ of their father.
She told People: ‘Michael is so optimistic, which is wonderful and really helps him, but it’s really important to also understand that this is a huge challenge.
‘It’s very difficult for the family, for the caregivers and, obviously, for the patient. So it’s important to acknowledge that and acknowledge that it’s not just all sort of easy. It’s not easy. It’s hard for them, but they show up and they’re there for us.’
The event, to benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, was held at Cipriani South Street at Casa Cipriani.
Fox and his wife served as co-chairs of the gala, called A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson’s.
Denis Leary hosted the evening, with Jackson Browne taking the stage as a musical guest.
The spouses, who wed in 1988, share son Sam, 36, daughters Aquinnah and Schuyler, 30, and daughter Esmé, 24
The couple, pictured 1987, have been married since 1988
Comedians Nikki Glaser and Jon Stewart kept the guests — which included Christina Geist, Katie Couric, and Meg Ryan — entertained with jokes.
Following his diagnosis, Fox went on to set up the Michael J Fox Foundation in 2000 to fund research to find a cure for his condition.Â
The Michael J. Fox Foundation has invested $2.5 billion in research for the incurable disease.
‘You don’t know how much you need until you know how much it took. I’m so happy with what we’ve done. So happy to see advancement,’ Fox told People in October.
Fox is returning to the small screen after previously announcing his retirement from acting in 2020.
Fox, pictured 1996, was just 29 when he was diagnosedÂ
It was revealed in May that he will join 83-year-old Harrison Ford on season three of the hit AppleTV+ series Shrinking.
After his diagnosis in the early 90s, Michael continued working, appearing in Spin City from 1996 to 2001 and in The Good Wife from 2010-2016.
‘His willingness to be part of our show is a great source of inspiration and gives us a real purpose,’ Ford told People earlier this year.
The octogenarian star plays therapist Dr. Paul Rhodes in the TV show, who faces his own Parkinson’s diagnosis.
He explained, ‘It’s not just us coming together, two actors. There’s a story to tell, and our commitment to the story is what joins us together. I appreciate his willingness to be a part of the show.’
