Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Michael J. Fox is revisiting the "darkest moment" of his life, which he says made him question "everything."
The 59-year-old actor said in the Nov. 16 issue of People that a health setback in 2018 was his "darkest moment" since his Parkinson's disease diagnosis.
In 2018, Fox underwent surgery to remove a noncancerous tumor from his spine, unrelated to his battle with Parkinson's disease. The surgery was successful but Fox had to learn to walk again following the procedure.
Fox appeared to be recovering and was scheduled to film a cameo in a Spike Lee movie. The morning of the shoot, he was alone at his New York City apartment when he fell and broke his arm.
"That was definitely my darkest moment," the star recalled. "I just snapped. I was learning against the wall in my kitchen, waiting for the ambulance to come, and I felt like, 'This is as low as it gets for me.'"
"It was when I questioned everything," he said. "Like, 'I can't put a shiny face on this. There's no bright side to this, no upside. This is just all regret and pain.'"
Fox said the injury made him question his optimism and his ability to offer hope to others.
"Parkinson's, my back, my arm... it still didn't add up to moving the needle on the misery index compared to what some people go through," he said. "I thought, 'How can I fell these people, 'Chin up. Look at the bright side. Things are going to be great'?"
Fox was largely confined to bed during his recovery and watched a lot of TV, including 1970s game shows. He said the shows helped him rediscover his positive outlook.
"Optimism is really rooted in gratitude," the actor said. "Optimism is sustainable when you keep coming back to gratitude, and what follows from that is acceptance."
"It doesn't mean that you can't endeavor to change. It doesn't mean you have to accept it as a punishment or a penance, but just put it in its proper place. Then see how much the rest of your life you have to thrive in, and then you can move on," he added.
Fox also discusses the story in his new memoir, No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality. The book is slated for release Nov. 17.
No Time Like the Future features Fox's personal stories and observations about illness and health, aging, the strength of family and friends, and how perceptions about time affect the way people approach mortality.
Fox will discuss the book during an online event, A Night in with Michael J. Fox, on Nov. 17.
