Michael J Fox enjoys rest and relaxation in St Barts with his wife of 22 years

By Daily Mail Reporter

Rest, relaxation and romance: Michael J Fox took a dip in the St Barts surf with his wife Tracy Pollan

He has fought Parkinson's disease for almost two decades, but Michael J Fox proved once again it wasn't going to get him down as he holidayed in St Barts yesterday.

The actor, 48, frolicked in the surf with his wife and former Family Ties co-star Tracy Pollan, 49, whom he married in 1988 just two years before his diagnosis.

The pair, who have four children - Sam, 20, twins Aquinnah and Schuyler, 15 and Esmé, 8 - held hands as they larked around in the water together.


Going strong: The couple larked around in the sea together

Their marriage certainly seemed as strong as ever as they enjoyed the romantic getaway.

Michael has previously said they are 'lucky to have each other,' adding: 'We both have the same appreciation for life.

'We both love to laugh, and no matter how crazy things get, we both think: "OK, what's funny about this? What's the upside?"'


Enjoying life: The actor says he refuses to let Parkinson's disease define him


The couple are expected to head to New York later this week where Fox will be given an honorary degree of medicine by Sweden's Karolinska Institute for his work to raise funds and awareness for Parkinson's disease.

The institute, which awards the annual Nobel Prize in medicine, says the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research has since 2000 given more than $175million to research aimed at developing drugs against the disease.

The star semi-retired from acting in 2000 because of the condition, which is a progressive neurological illness that impairs the motor skills.


'Lucky to have each other': The couple married in 1988, two years before Michael's diagnosis and they now have four children

But he has since starred in a couple of episodes of Scrubs, voiced the lovable mouse Stuart Little and he even earned himself an Emmy for his guest stint in the U.S. series Rescue Me last year.

Fox, who disclosed his condition to the public in 1998, refuses to let it pigeonhole him.

'I'm a dad, I'm a husband, I'm an activist, I'm a writer and I'm just a student of the world,' he told Oprah last year.

'This is one fact of my life, but it's not the totality of my life. It doesn't define me.'


Campaigner: Michael will be given an honorary degree of medicine on Friday for his work to raise funds and awareness for Parkinson's disease


source: dailymail