There are many occasions when things are not quite as we would like them to be and also many occasions when life gives us a setback that can be very difficult to overcome. Sometimes, the only way to face these situations is with optimism and a positive attitude. Michael J. Fox has found himself in such a situation. In 1991, at the age of 29, the American actor received some of the worst news of his life: he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
Far from letting this mark his life, he decided to fight it with the best of philosophies and, for this, he had the unconditional support of someone who has never stopped giving it to him: his wife, Tracy Pollan. After more than three decades of a tough battle against his disease, Fox has managed to continue with his life and has even started a large family with the love of his life.
Who is Tracy Pollan?
Born in Long Island, New York, on June 22, 1960, Tracy Pollan is an American actress who has participated in more than twenty series and movies, such as Spin City or Law and Order.
For her part, Pollan is the daughter of Corky, a magazine editor, as well as Stephen M. Pollan, a financial consultant and writer. She has three siblings, one of whom is Michael Pollan, a journalist and writer.
It was in the early 1980s, during the filming of the NBC series, Family Ties, when she met Michael, being both a couple in fiction. After falling in love with each other, they married on July 16, 1988 in an intimate ceremony and have been together ever since.
Father of four children
A little more than a year after the wedding, the couple had their first child: Sam. However, as the actor himself admitted, the first years of their marriage were not all good. This was due to the fact that, after being diagnosed with the disease, Fox turned to work and took refuge in alcohol, gradually isolating himself from his family.
Six years later, in February 1995 and having managed to overcome their crisis, the couple had their second and third children: twins Aquinnah Kathleen and Schuyler Frances. The youngest of the family, Esmé, arrived another six years later, on November 3, 2001.
Only one of them is related to Hollywood
Of his four children, only one has followed in Michael's footsteps. The eldest, Sam, started out as an actor, but has finally become a film producer at the age of 33. So far he has produced two short films: Ben Barnes: 11:11 and Good Grief.
In addition to this, Sam is also part of a startup that is dedicated to connecting foreign travelers with homes that want to host them for a season. He is also the coordinator of the company 72 Street Productions.
However, his three sisters stay away from Hollywood. One of the twins is a Global Brand and marketing consultant at the New York headquarters of the advertising agency Ogilvy. The second is a content developer and marketing partner at See Beneath.
Finally, the youngest of the daughters, Esmé, about to turn 21, is studying at Duke University. At the age of nine, the youngest of the family started a cookie business that dedicated all of its income to her father's foundation, which fights for more research into Parkinson's disease.