Michael J. Fox returned to his native Canada on Friday to accept the nation’s highest civilian distinction, honoring his decades of achievement, advocacy and service.
The 65-year-old actor and activist was named a companion of the Order of Canada, the organization’s highest rank.
Fox attended the investiture ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, where he celebrated the milestone with Canada’s governor general, Louise Arbour, and posed for photographs after receiving the honor.
He remained steady during the playing of the national anthem and throughout the ceremony’s signature photo opportunity. The public appearance followed his dismissal of death rumors sparked by a major CNN error earlier this year.
According to CTV News, Fox was recognized for his “powerful global advocacy and unflinching honesty about Parkinson’s,” which has shaped much of his public work.
Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991 and made his condition public in 1998. Through the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, he has helped raise more than $3 billion toward research and treatment.
Michael J. Fox returned to Canada on Friday to receive the country’s highest civilian honor, recognizing his lifetime of achievement and national service
The 65-year-old actor and activist has been elevated to companion of the Order of Canada, the organization’s highest level
Parkinson’s disease is a nervous-system movement disorder that may cause tremors, muscle stiffness, slowed movement and difficulty maintaining balance, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Its motor and non-motor symptoms can become increasingly severe, affecting daily life and significantly diminishing a person’s quality of life over time.
Best known for starring in the Back to the Future film series, Fox has consistently spoken openly about the realities of living with Parkinson’s and the challenges he has personally faced.
The beloved television and film star, who was born in Edmonton, Alberta, was one of 51 Canadians inducted into or advanced within the Order of Canada.
The Canadian honor came only weeks after Fox traveled to Los Angeles for the Emmy Awards, where he received the Hope Humanitarian Award.
In September, he also announced that he had returned to acting earlier than planned, despite Parkinson’s disease affecting his ability to memorize lines.
His role on Shrinking made that return possible, he explained, allowing him to “show up on set” as himself while continuing his long relationship with acting.
Fox attended the awards ceremony with his family and delivered an emotional speech after accepting the humanitarian recognition.
Fox attended the investiture ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, where he posed with Canada’s governor general, Louise Arbour, after receiving the distinction
He stood during the national anthem and the ceremony’s memorable photo opportunity, following his response to death rumors caused by a major CNN mistake earlier this year
Fox received the companion honor for his “powerful global advocacy and unflinching honesty about Parkinson’s”
The Edmonton-born star was among 51 people inducted into or promoted within the Order of Canada
Fox has lived with Parkinson’s disease since 1991 and has raised over $3 billion since shared his diagnosis in 1998, according to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
During his acceptance speech, he discussed his diagnosis with Parkinson’s at the age of 29 in the early 90s and shared the heartbreaking reason why he kept his health battle a secret from Hollywood for nearly a decade.
Fox said he learned lessons of selflessness from the late entertainer Bob Hope and said that ultimately prepared him for the devastating diagnosis.
‘I couldn’t have known how these lessons would resonate in my own life, until my late 20s, when my life handed me a role I wasn’t looking for.’
Opening up about the start of his battle with the condition, he added, ‘Initially I kept my Parkinson’s diagnosis a secret. I worried it would affect my work and relationships with audiences.’
He heartbreakingly admitted he questioned whether fans would ‘laugh if they knew I was sick?’
But Fox admitted his fans all over the world were what inspired him to keep going, saying, ‘I was stunned by the support from all of you, so uplifted and I hadn’t lost what I do. ‘They couldn’t take it away from me. And it’s because you stood up for me. I appreciate it.
‘I understood that accepting Parkinson’s didn’t mean I had to surrender to it. It just meant I had to do everything I could for everyone living with this disease. I set out to advocate for Parkinson’s disease and raise money. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made to benefit Parkinson’s patients and families.’
At the Emmys, Fox was also nominated with his 19th Emmy overall for his guest role in Shrinking.
Just weeks earlier, Fox was in Los Angeles for the Emmy Awards, where he was honored with the Hope Humanitarian Award
During his acceptance speech, he discussed his diagnosis with Parkinson’s at the age of 29 in the early 90s and shared the heartbreaking reason why he kept his health battle a secret from Hollywood for years
Also in September, he had also revealed that he has un-retired from acting sooner than expected despite the effect Parkinson’s disease has had on his ‘ability to memorize lines’
The actor, who is a five-time Emmy winner, recently opened up about his return to acting on the set of Shrinking, in which he stars alongside Harrison Ford and Nicole Kidman.
Fox first retired in 2000, two years after publicly sharing his diagnosis. He did make several cameos on television series Scrubs and The Good Wife before being forced to take a break from acting again in 2020.
Fox explained his reasoning behind the decision to People, as he said: ‘A new variable emerged: my ability to memorize lines. There’s a time for everything, and the time for 12-hour workdays was behind me.’
Fox joined the Ford-led series Shrinking for season 3 earlier this year.
The Apple TV series was created by Fox’s friend Bill Lawrence, as he said he enjoyed having the freedom to ‘use how I feel on any given day and channel it into the scene.’
On the series, he portrays the character Gerry as he becomes friends with Ford’s character, Dr. Paul Rhoades, who is also navigating a Parkinson’s diagnosis.
