Canadian actor Michael J. Fox was among the 19 notable names on Saturday to take home the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honour in the United States.
Fox, who was born in Edmonton and is known for his performances in the “Back to the Future” movies, founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation, the world’s largest non-profit funder of Parkinson’s research. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991 — but publicly disclosed it in 1998 — and retired from acting in 2020.
During a conferral ceremony at the White House, Fox was recognized as “one of the most beloved actors of our time with remarkable wit and charm.”
“Receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom is humbling, an honour I could never have anticipated,” Fox said in a statement on his foundation’s website. “I’m grateful for this recognition, which I share with the patients, families and researchers who have brought us closer than ever to ending Parkinson’s disease once and for all.”
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also received a standing ovation from the crowd as she received her medal.
Other awardees include professional soccer player Lionel Messi, who did not attend the event; retired Los Angeles Lakers basketball legend and businessman Earvin “Magic” Johnson; conservationist Jane Goodall; William Sanford Nye, known to generations of students as “Bill Nye the Science Guy”; and Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington.
Biden called the recipients “truly extraordinary people,” and thanked them for their “sacred effort, to shape the culture and cause of America” in his opening remarks Saturday.
Other Canadians who have received the honour in past years include world-renowned architect Frank Gehry and television writer and movie producer Lorne Michaels.
With files from the Associated Press
