If there is currently a superhero with his feet on the ground and a lot of effort behind him, that is Carlos Alcaraz (22), US Open champion, who now holds the number 1 spot in the ATP rankings. The thrilling final against Sinner was attended by a myriad of personalities linked to film, fashion, music, and politics such as Rosalía, Orlando Bloom, Donald Trump, and Anna Wintour. However, the personality that received the most applause was Michael J. Fox (64).
The actor posed on the blue carpet alongside his wife, also actress Tracy Pollan (65), as they were the star guests to promote awareness campaigns about neurodegenerative diseases linked to the last Grand Slam of the year.
A huge wave of affection bathed the couple who, since starting the Michael J. Fox Foundation, have raised over 2 billion dollars for Parkinson's research and assistance to those in need. The star of Back to the Futurearrived in a wheelchair and with the invaluable help of an assistant and his wife, they managed to stand him up because Michael wanted to greet the photographers and give a brief interview.
The progression of the disease is relentless, and gradually, the actor's faculties have diminished to the point of dependency. But even so, his strength and sense of humor have been two pillars on which he has based his battle against this disease, which was also suffered by the unforgettable Katherine Hepburn, who passed away in 2003 at the age of 96.
The Fox-Pollan marriage is a true reflection of resilience. From the very beginning, Tracy has been the main support for her husband. They met during the filming of the series Family Ties, got married in 1988, and have four children: Sam (36), twins Aquinnah Kathleen and Schuyler Frances (30), and Esmé Annabelle (28).
Fox was diagnosed with the disease two years after the birth of their first child, as Michael J. Fox began experiencing Parkinson's symptoms during the filming of Doc Hollywood (1990). When doctors delivered the terrible diagnosis, the star sought solace in alcohol. Fortunately, with the help of professionals and his loved ones, he regained control of his life, which in recent decades has been spent mostly between his New York apartment and his rustic estate in Connecticut. However, two years ago, they decided to move to Santa Barbara, California.
In 1998, Michael decided to make his illness public, and from then on, he vowed to go all out to raise funds for Parkinson's research. In an interview with CBS in 2023, he stated that "despite all these subtle ways it affects you, you don't die from Parkinson's, you die with the disease. I won't make it to 80. I won't reach 80."
In 2020, due to the progression of this degenerative condition, Fox announced his retirement from acting to become a full-time activist and publish his biography No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality, where he confessed that "when I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991, my wife, Tracy, and I were not yet 30, we were newlyweds, we had a young daughter. 30 years have passed and at this point, I am more or less accustomed to the disease. I realized that I have no control over my body. I understood that the main thing was to gather adaptability and resilience."