Michael J Fox has ‘broken more bones than his stuntman’ in heartbreaking Parkinson’s ordeal-Alistair McGeorge-Entertainment – Metro

Michael J. Fox has broken more bones as a result of Parkinson’s disease than his stunt double has in his 40-year career.

The 63-year-old actor was diagnosed with the condition in 1991, and his stuntman Charlie Croughwell – who was his double on film sets for 16 years since the first Back To The Future movie in 1985 – has opened up about his close friend’s health.

Speaking exclusively to Metro as he prepared to put the movie franchise’s iconic hoverboard up for auction this weekend, Charlie revealed the pain his pal has been endured.

‘One of the last times I saw him, we were just sitting there, talking back and forth, and we started to compare broken bones,’ he recalled.

‘My job requires that you can potentially break bones, or it can kill you, and you have to understand that and accept that. And Mike has broken more bones than I have.’

He explained that the ‘considerable’ impact Parkinson’s has on motor skills can result in injuries most people wouldn’t think about.

Michael J. Fox surprised his friend with his injuries (Picture: Noam Galai/Getty Images for The Michael J. Fox Foundation)

Charlie Croughwell (right) was Michael J Fox’s stunt double for 16 years (Picture: Heritage Auctions)

‘He started saying, “Well, I broke this, and I broke this”, and I’m just like, my God, you know, the poor guy has been through [so much],’ he added. I know what it feels like to break bones, and then recover from that, and how difficult that is.

‘At the same time, having no control over, you know, your motor skills or control – really, I have an enormous amount of respect for the war that poor guy has been fighting for so long now.’

Despite Michael’s struggles, Charlie revealed his friend stays positive and doesn’t ‘wallow in self pity’, while his family and love ones keep him strong.

‘Every time I see him, he’s got a smile on his face. We just have a great time together. And he’s always looking up, he’s not wallowing in self pity. He’s he’s fighting the fight, and he’s moving ahead, and he’s got an amazing family,’ he smiled.

‘His wife, Tracy, is has been incredibly supportive of him and helpful to him. He’s just one of those guys, just a super positive guy. Always was, always is – he’s never down.’

Tracy has helped her husband through his health struggles (Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for TIME)

Charlie first met Michael on the set of Back To The Future (Picture: Amblin Entertainment/Universal Pictures/Kobal/Shutterstock)

Charlie and Michael first met on the set of the original Back To The Future, and have been close for 40 years – which inspired the stunt veteran to sell the second movie’s hoverboard in support of the Micheal J. Fox Foundation.

‘I have to say, Mike did a lot of his own stunts,’ he recalled of their time working together. ‘He was always game for doing his own stuff. There were often times when I had to pull Mike back and go, “Probably not a good idea!” ‘

He added: ‘I don’t know how to express how great my career has been, and at the end of the day, it’s really because of Mike.’

The Back To The Future II hoverboard went up for auction this weekend (Picture: Heritage Auctions)

After stepping in for his good friend on movie sets over the years, the Hollywood veteran – who has worked on everything from Hook and The Grinch to Men In Black II – wants to give back to support his pal.

‘I was always responsible for Mike’s safety, and with the onset of Parkinson’s, I couldn’t affect that in any way,’ he said before Heritage Auctions’ Hollywood & Entertainment auction on Saturday.

‘I can’t help Mike, but I can help, hopefully, by donating the proceeds from it to the foundation, it’ll help somebody.’

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