MICHAEL J. FOX CELEBRATES HIS 64TH BIRTHDAY HUMBLE AND HOPEFUL

From his impressive acting career to a courageous battle with Parkinson's disease, this beloved icon has earned a place in the hearts of Canadians

- AMY BIELBY

With his characteristic nice-guy attitude, Michael J. Fox responded to wife Tracy Pollan’s Instagram birthday greeting in eight simple words: “I’m not getting older, I'm getting more grateful.”

The Canadian actor - who turned 64 on June 9 - has plenty to be thankful for: Tracy, their four incredible children (son Sam, 36, twin girls Aquinnah and Schuyler, 30, and daughter Esme, 23) and a career that has brought him accolades for more than 45 years.

Amid his personal and professional accomplishments, Michael has faced adversity almost every step of the way, enduring a very public battle with Parkinson's disease.

But even that diagnosis turned into an opportunity for this resilient man, who challenged himself to stand up as an advocate for those suffering, raising unprecedented funds for research.

Explaining his consistently positive approach to life, Michael recently told Entertainment Tonight, “If you imagine the worst-case scenario and it actually happens, you've lived it twice. So I just take every day as it comes.”

CANADIAN ROOTS

Born in Edmonton and raised in Burnaby, B.C., Michael got his start in television in 1976 on a CBC show called Leo & Me. The role required the young actor to drop out of high school at age 17. By 18, he was off on his own, relocating to Los Angeles to pursue acting seriously.

While his parents were a little skeptical, they supported his decision while making sure to keep him grounded. “They aren’t going to let me get away with being a jerk or create a distance that shouldn’t be there,” he told CBC in 1985, discussing his rising fame.