Michael J Fox's son shares moving Father's Day tributes to 'pops'

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By Phoebe Egoroff

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Michael J. Fox's son has shared a moving Father's Day tribute to his father, who he heartwarmingly referred to as "pops".

A slew of celebrities paid tribute to their fathers, grandfathers, and father figures over the weekend, and the Back to the Future actor certainly wasn't forgotten!

The 62-year-old actor's eldest child - and only son - Sam Fox took to social media on Sunday to celebrate his father, posting a sweet image of himself standing next to his dad as a youngster and holding a framed Hollywood Walk of Fame star with J. Fox's name engraved on the front.

The caption of the image read: "Happy Father's Day pops! Love you!!"

Fox himself took to the comments section to thank his son, writing: "You can't be a super dad unless you have a super son. [Sam Fox] is the cats ass. Proud Pops [sic]."

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Credit: Instagram.com

Other people took the time to praise the Family Ties actor and his family, with one person commenting: "And we admire your Father! Happy Father's Day to such an amazing human being, and example for everyone!"

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Credit: Instagram.com

A further user chimed in with: "Happy Father's Day!! [Michael J. Fox] You and [Fox's wife, Tracy Pollan] have amazing kids!"

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Credit: Instagram.com

Fox's Father's Day tribute comes just over a month after he opened up about his more than three-decade-long battle with Parkinson's, a long-term degenerative disorder that affects the nervous system and motor skills.

The Canadian actor first discovered he had the degenerative condition when he was just 29 years old in 1991, after he complained of a twitching little finger and a sore shoulder. He didn't go public with his diagnosis for another seven years, instead dealing with the progressive disorder by drinking excessively behind the scenes.

Fox has been transparent about his struggles in accepting his diagnosis of Parkinson's, especially during its early stages. Though, eventually, he says he learned to see it as a "gift." In May this year, Fox appeared on the Australian nighttime current affair talk show The Project, where he revealed that he was "really happy" with the way his life has turned out after dedicating years to finding a cure for Parkinson's.

"I always say Parkinson's is a gift [...] It is the gift that keeps on taking, but it is a gift,'" he told the show's host Waleed Aly, via The Daily Mail.

"I'm really happy with the way my life has turned out and I love the chance I have to be of service," Fox added.

He also explained to CBS Sunday Mornings that his mindset isn't always as positive. "It's getting tougher; every day it gets tougher," he said about living with his condition to journalist Jane Pauley. He described Parkinson's as "the gift that keeps on taking" due to his symptoms, which include tremors, impaired movement, and muscle stiffness.

The actor has been tireless in his constant campaigning for Parkinson's research, with his own foundation raising funds for research into why the condition affects certain people and whether it can be diagnosed before symptoms even start. The Michael J. Fox Foundation also aims to work on alternative treatments and a potential cure so that other people who live with Parkinson's can have a better quality of life.

Featured image credit: Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty