Michael J Fox.

When Michael J. Fox finally told his wife, Tracy Pollan, about his Parkinson’s diagnosis, he was prepared for the moment that might end everything. Instead, she said the words that became the foundation of their marriage: “We are in this together.” This isn’t just a celebrity love story. It’s a living example of what the vows “in sickness and in health” are meant to look like when they’re truly tested. Their story began in the mid-1980s on the set of Family Ties. Tracy played Ellen Reed, the love interest of Michael’s iconic Alex P. Keaton. The chemistry was obvious, but the relationship stayed professional. Life brought them back together in 1987 while filming Bright Lights, Big City. This time, both were single—and the connection was immediate. Seven months later, Michael proposed. They married on July 16, 1988, and soon began building the life they’d dreamed of together. In 1989, they welcomed their first child, Sam Michael. Then came the moment that changed everything. In 1991, at just 29 years old and at the height of his career, Michael was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease. The fear was overwhelming. He pulled inward, struggled with denial, and worried that Tracy would eventually walk away. She didn’t. Instead, Tracy met the diagnosis head-on with unwavering resolve, turning a personal crisis into a shared journey. Her message was simple and absolute: they would face it together. Their family continued to grow after the diagnosis. Twin daughters, Aquinnah Kathleen and Schuyler Frances, were born in 1995. Their youngest, Esmé Annabelle, arrived in 2001. Their children grew up with Parkinson’s as part of daily life, developing compassion, patience, and strength along the way. Michael often says Parkinson’s is “all they’ve ever known,” which allowed them to adapt naturally—helping when he needs it, without fear or pity. Rather than letting the disease define their future, Michael and Tracy transformed it into purpose. In 2000, they founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, now the world’s largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson’s drug development. Through it all, Tracy has remained his anchor—his partner, protector, and source of joy. Their relationship is still filled with laughter, honesty, and affection, proving that intimacy doesn’t disappear with illness. The story of Michael J. Fox and Tracy Pollan reminds us what unconditional love truly means. “To have and to hold… for better, for worse… in sickness and in health.” They show us that real love isn’t about avoiding the storm. It’s about choosing each other—again and again—while learning how to dance in the rain.

1:17 AM · Dec 17, 2025

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