Michael J Fox

NAME: Michael Andrew Fox (Changed to J Fox, as did not want to be 'Michael, a fox' and in homage to Michael J Pollard)
DOB: 9th June 1961
Place of Birth: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Marital Status: Married to Tracy Pollan, with kids Sam, Aquinnah, Schuyler and Esme.

So, why is Mike my hero?  Well, to start with, he's a damn good actor!  He is very good at comedy acting - his timing is good, and he's great at keeping a straight face.

But that's not enough to become my hero.  Here's the thing: he's a good PERSON overall, which is most important. He's also very brave. As you'll know, he's got Parkinson's Disease, a crippling disease that attacks your nerves (I'm pretty sure that's what it does anyhoo). In the worst cases, the person can end up bed-ridden and physically unable to do a thing. However, Mike looks on the bright side of life, and can't help but feel that despite it all he is a 'Lucky Man' (the name of his book, and it's brilliant - I totally recommend it).

Mike reckons that you should not worry about things that might happen, as they just as likely might NOT happen, so what's the point in living through it if you don't need to. That's his theory, anyway, and I love it.

He has set up the MJF Foundation for Parkinson's Research, and he reckons a cure will be found within 10 years. He is helping thousands of other people by doing this. True, it'll be too late for many, but it'll be just in time for many more. At least others won't have to suffer like them.  He's using his popularity to create awareness of the disease, and this in turn is helping a LOT.  Also, he's not just some kind of "cover boy" for the Foundation - he is very active in it as well, he's even been to court to fight for the ability to do certain types of research.

I'm into this whole PD thing kinda seriously, but that's because my wonderful Uncle Jim had Parkinson's, and I admired him coz he kept his sense of humour to the end (the last time I saw him, he really struggled to talk, but he was still joking, and I love him for it), and Mike is the same.  He's staying the same funny guy despite it all, in fact, it's making him a better person. That's why he's my hero. I really go for the "upbeat in times of tragedy" thing.

Which brings me onto another, cheerier, note. MJF is not only funny on screen, but funny in real life too. He's dead famous and dead rich, but he comes across as a normal, humourous, laid-back Canadian (now American citizen) guy who just happened to have made the right moves to get into show-biz.  And they weren't easy right moves, he tried really (and I mean really) hard to get to Hollywood and make it as an actor, and just like Johnny Herbert, he never gave up when his career seemed to be at a dead end.  He's been through a couple of incredibly low points in his life, but he was supported through it all by his friends and family (especially his wife) and he's happier now than he has ever been before.  It just goes to show, huh?

Mikey also is a very caring, unselfish person. He is totally obsessed with his wife, kids and the rest of his family, and would do anything for them. I think that's great. He gave up Spin City so that he could a) concentrate on finding a cure for PD and b) be with his family. When he was diagnosed with PD, he wanted to know if he could still play with his son Sam.  He was told that he could still be a real dad to his young child, and so the next year his wife gave birth to his twin daughters Aquinnah and Schuyler.  He now has another kid - Esme Annabelle Fox - who was born in November 2001.  His aim is to be able to dance at his children's weddings, and he believes that he will - and DAMN do I have my fingers crossed for him!!

I think that it is brilliant that someone can be so famous, yet now be so far from arrogant, and be very caring towards other people, and this is why Michael J Fox is my hero!    Also, he has awesome taste in music!!

Mike – you are great, keep just as you are

Find out MORE!!!  http://www.michaeljfox.org  and http://welcome.to/michaeljfox 

or... please buy his book OUT NOW!!!!!! (It's great.  Please buy it)

Get in touch!

spinnin_fox@hotmail.com