But Michael has certainly also earned the ?amazing? description he gives to friend Christopher Reeve as two brave men with relentless crusades to affect change.
?The amazing Dana Reeve said to me in an interview one time, ?Right after Chris? accident he said he wanted to end his life and didn?t want to live. And then years later after the work of the foundation, the lives he touched and what he saw happen, he said he wouldn?t change anything,?? Access Hollywood?s Billy Bush told Michael. ?Do you relate to that??
?I absolutely relate to that,? Fox said. ?I wrote my book ?Lucky Man? and I really feel lucky. I feel incredibly blessed. Again, Chris? challenges to me just seem? I don?t know how he did what he did. He had an amazing intellect and amazing compassion he was like a perfect story of all these great qualities.?
Christopher believed, much like Michael, the cure to paralysis, Parkinson?s and many neurological disorders lies in stem cell research. But there is great political and religious debate in this country as to the origin of life.
And for Michael, the clock is ticking.
?How much patience can you have?? Billy asked him.
?I don?t want to have so much impatience that I don?t have respect for other people?s points of view,? Fox explained.
?Do you believe if the gates to any kind of embryonic stem cell research were open and all practices were allowed with absolutely no holds barred, do you believe people would go for it and that it would work?? Billy asked.
?No I think you have to have oversight. You absolutely have to have oversight. But we don?t want crazy mad science happening. We want order in the way America does things,? Fox said. ?We think America has a chance to set the standard and really lead the way.?
Michael?s high hopes extend to the son Dana and Chris Reeve left behind ? 13-year-old Will.
?He?s such an engaging kid. Such a smart kid. It just seems like they did an amazing job with him,? he added.
?You are a hockey player. I?m one too. I?ve been to Will?s hockey practice,? Billy said.
?You know, he is a great kid. He is a hockey player. I know he loved his parents very much and I know he will be well taken care of and I know he is going to be a special person,? Michael said. ?I?m sure of it.?
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