Michael J. Fox Gets Emotional During Emmys Standing Ovation As He Vows To Keep Fighting Parkinson’s

Sep 16, 2026 by apost team

Michael J. Fox brought the 2026 Emmy Awards to their feet as he accepted the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, delivering an emotional speech about Parkinson’s disease, his family and the determination that has kept him fighting for a cure.

The 65-year-old actor received a standing ovation as he took the stage at the ceremony in Los Angeles on Sept. 13, 2026, where he was honored for more than two decades of advocacy and fundraising through the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Presented by Fox’s longtime friend and former “The Good Wife” costar Julianna Margulies, the award recognizes humanitarian contributions connected to the television industry. Fox is only the sixth recipient since the honor was established in 2002.

Fox began his speech by reflecting on Bob Hope and the example the legendary entertainer set for him growing up.

“To them, Bob was more than an entertainer; he was a selfless champion of soldiers and military families,” Fox said, recalling how Hope would spend holidays entertaining troops rather than celebrating at home.

“I learned from his example. When it starts to get tough, you show up, you help, and if you add a little joy while you’re doing it, that’s so you know it’s even better,” he added.

Those words took on a deeply personal meaning for Fox after he was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease in 1991, at just 29 years old. He kept his diagnosis private for seven years, initially fearing that revealing it would affect his career and the way audiences viewed him.

“Would they laugh if they knew I was sick?” Fox recalled asking himself.

Instead, he said, he was overwhelmed by the support he received after going public with his diagnosis in 1998.

That support ultimately helped inspire Fox to turn his personal experience into a mission. He founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000, and the organization has since invested more than $3 billion in Parkinson’s research, making it the world’s largest nonprofit funder of research into the disease.

“Accepting Parkinson’s didn’t mean I had to surrender to it,” Fox told the Emmy audience. “It just meant doing whatever I could for people living with this disease.”

He went on to express pride in the scientific progress made over the past two decades, adding that researchers are moving closer to eradicating Parkinson’s.

Fox also made sure to recognize the people who have helped him along the way, thanking the foundation’s staff, donors, researchers and, most importantly, the Parkinson’s patient community.

But perhaps his most emotional thanks were reserved for his family.

“Now the part where I thank Tracy and our kids for their sacrifices, for their patience, and for their love — you have no idea,” he said, referring to his wife of nearly 38 years, actress Tracy Pollan, and their four children.

Pollan was by Fox’s side at the Emmys, marking the couple’s first appearance at the ceremony in 13 years.

The evening also marked another milestone for Fox, who received his 19th Emmy nomination this year for his guest role on “Shrinking.” Although he did not win in that category, the night gave the beloved actor another reason to celebrate a career that has extended far beyond the screen.

And as Fox made clear from the Emmy stage, his work is far from finished.

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Michael J. Fox’s message is one that clearly continues to resonate long after the applause has faded. What did you think of his emotional Emmy speech? Let us know, and then pass this along to friends and family who would be touched to hear his speech!