Emotional Michael J. Fox Remembers His Late Mother's Words Two Weeks After She Passed Away | "It'll Always Get Better"

Michael Andrew Fox, professionally known as Michael J. Fox, 61, is a Canadian-American famous for his roles in "Family Ties" and "Back to the Future" Trilogies made in the 1980s. According to People, while attending the Back to the Future Reunion Panel at New York Comic-Con (NYCC) over the weekend, the star,  remembered his mother, Phyllis Evelyn Fox, who died on September 24 at the age of 92. 

Recalling that Phyllis "passed away two weeks ago;" at the Comic-Con event, her son shared a story about she initially was very against Michael shooting for both Family Ties in the day and Back to the Future at night. Michael explained that he was 23 in the 1980s and had called her when she was back in Canada and told her over the call, "They want me to do this Steven Spielberg movie, but I have to do it at night and I have to do Family Ties in the daytime," to which she warned him, "You'll be too tired." He replied, "I live for this kind of tired. It'll be okay." In retrospect Michael shares, "To this day — well, till two weeks ago — my mother thought it was a really bad idea for me to do "Back to the Future." She loved the movie, [but she was right], I got tired."

During this panel, he also spoke about his struggles with Parkinson's and the importance of gratitude and optimism in one's life along with his co-star Christopher Lloyd. He said, "If you can find something to be grateful for, if you can find something and say, 'Well, that's good,' … It'll always get better," he continued. "… I'm very optimistic." "I'd say optimism is thinking that things are more likely to get better than they are to get worse. If you believe in that, and you are grateful for it, that'll sustain you the rest of your life."

As per an online obituary of Phyllis', she was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1929 to father Henry "Skip" Piper and mother Jane "Jenny" Piper. She was predeceased by each of her brothers, Kenneth, Stuart, and Albert, her son Mark and her daughter Karen, as well as her husband, William. She leaves behind sons Steve and Michael, daughters Jackie and Kelli,  nine grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and a great-great-granddaughter. "Nothing made her happier than watching her family grow," Phyllis' obituary states.

Phyllis was passionate about raising awareness for Diabetes and Parkinson’s Disease and serving on the board of the Michael J Fox Theatre in Burnaby. On account of her demise, her family has requested that in lieu of flowers donations be made in Phyllis' name to causes including diabetes, Parkinson's, the Burnaby General Hospital, the BC Children's Hospital, and Canuck Place. He took special pride in raising awareness for Diabetes and Parkinson’s Disease, and in serving on the board of the Michael J Fox Theatre in Burnaby. The family also asked that in lieu of flowers donations be made in Phyllis' name to causes including diabetes, Parkinson's, the Burnaby General Hospital, the BC Children's Hospital, and Canuck Place.

References

https://people.com/movies/michael-j-fox-remembers-mom-after-death-back-to-the-future-comic-con-panel/

https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/surrey-bc/phyllis-fox-10948291

Cover Image Source: Getty Images| Bryan Bedder / Stringer