Martin Scorsese Explains How Michael J. Fox Helped His Wife's Parkinson's Battle

Martin Scorsese credits Michael J. Fox for helping his wife Helen Morris navigate her Parkinson's disease.

When Fox was honored with the lifetime achievement award at the 2023 Spring Moving Image Awards on June 6, the filmmaker gave a speech at the ceremony before presenting the award to the Back to the Future actor, sharing how the 61-year-old star's Parkinson's advocacy had a profound impact on Morris' life.

"Now if you look at Michael's filmography, pay attention to the amount of work he's done since his Parkinson's diagnosis," said Scorsese during his speech, per The Hollywood Reporter. "And along the way, Michael not only started his foundation, which has raised so much money for research and raised just as much awareness, but he also became a real guiding light for so many others with Parkinson's—that includes my wife, Helen."

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He added, "Michael, your support has meant the world to her and to me."

Morris was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1990, nine years before marrying Scorsese. Though the former book editor hasn't spoken in detail publicly about her life with the disease, she spoke about becoming pregnant with daughter Francesca in her 50s while struggling with Parkinson's in a 2000 profile with Talk Magazine.

"A doctor in New York was recommended, someone who specialized in high-risk pregnancies, and I got pregnant immediately," she said at the time. "I mean, I was 51. I have Parkinson's. I was in bed for a few months, but it was easy. I watched a lot of television."

Though Morris isn't on social media, Scorsese occasionally shares a glimpse into their life at home on Instagram.

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