Michael J. Fox receives high honor from Canada for Parkinson's advocacy just weeks after making rare award show appearance

Michael J. Fox was honored in his home country of Canada on Friday and received the highest civilian honor for his lifetime achievement and service to the nation.

The 65-year-old actor and activist was promoted to the rank of companion in the Order of Canada, the highest level within the order. 

He attended the investiture ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa and posed with the governor general of Canada, Louise Arbour, upon receiving the accolade. 

He stood unwavering during the national anthem and for the memorable photo-op at the event, which comes after he shut down death rumors stemming from a colossal CNN gaffe earlier this year.

He was elevated to the companion level in recognition of his 'powerful global advocacy and unflinching honesty about Parkinson's,' according to CTV News.

Fox has lived with Parkinson's disease since 1991 and has raised over $3 billion since going public with his diagnosis in 1998, as per the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder of the nervous system that can cause tremors, stiffness, slowing of movement and trouble with balance, as explained by the Mayo Clinic. 

The disease is characterized by severe motor and non-motor control symptoms that can become more debilitating over time and significantly impact a person's quality of life. 

Fox, who starred in the Back to the Future film franchise, has long been vocal about the challenges of living with its symptoms and has shared his own candid, personal experiences. 

The beloved television star, who hails from Edmonton in the Canadian province of Alberta, was among 51 people who were inducted into or promoted within the Order of Canada.

Just weeks earlier, Fox was in Los Angeles for the Emmy Awards, where he was honored with the Hope Humanitarian Award. 

Also in September, he had revealed that he has un-retired from acting sooner than expected despite the effect Parkinson's disease has had on his 'ability to memorize lines.' 

He said his new character in Shrinking allowed him to 'show up on set' as himself and gave him the opportunity continue acting. 

He was joined by his entire family for the award show and had taken the stage to give a moving speech after accepting the humanitarian honor. 

During his acceptance speech, he discussed his diagnosis with Parkinson's at the age of 29 in the early 90s and shared the heartbreaking reason why he kept his health battle a secret from Hollywood for nearly a decade. 

Fox said he learned lessons of selflessness from the late entertainer Bob Hope and said that ultimately prepared him for the devastating diagnosis.

'I couldn't have known how these lessons would resonate in my own life, until my late 20s, when my life handed me a role I wasn't looking for.' 

Opening up about the start of his battle with the condition, he added, 'Initially I kept my Parkinson's diagnosis a secret. I worried it would affect my work and relationships with audiences.' 

He heartbreakingly admitted he questioned whether fans would 'laugh if they knew I was sick?' 

But Fox admitted his fans all over the world were what inspired him to keep going, saying, 'I was stunned by the support from all of you, so uplifted and I hadn't lost what I do. 'They couldn't take it away from me. And it's because you stood up for me. I appreciate it. 

'I understood that accepting Parkinson's didn't mean I had to surrender to it. It just meant I had to do everything I could for everyone living with this disease. I set out to advocate for Parkinson's disease and raise money. I'm proud of the progress we've made to benefit Parkinson's patients and families.'

At the Emmys, Fox was also nominated with his 19th Emmy overall for his guest role in Shrinking. 

The actor, who is a five-time Emmy winner, recently opened up about his return to acting on the set of Shrinking, in which he stars alongside Harrison Ford and Nicole Kidman. 

Fox first retired in 2000, two years after publicly sharing his diagnosis. He did make several cameos on television series Scrubs and The Good Wife before being forced to take a break from acting again in 2020. 

Fox explained his reasoning behind the decision to People, as he said: 'A new variable emerged: my ability to memorize lines. There's a time for everything, and the time for 12-hour workdays was behind me.' 

Fox joined the Ford-led series Shrinking for season 3 earlier this year. 

The Apple TV series was created by Fox's friend Bill Lawrence, as he said he enjoyed having the freedom to 'use how I feel on any given day and channel it into the scene.' 

On the series, he portrays the character Gerry as he becomes friends with Ford's character, Dr. Paul Rhoades, who is also navigating a Parkinson's diagnosis.