Changing Course: Jimmy Choi’s Story

Parkinson’s affects everyone differently. And, each individual’s approach to living with it is just as variable. Jimmy Choi, a member of The Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Patient Council, was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease at age 27. Since then, he has run, cycled and swam in countless endurance events to raise more than $100,000 to speed a cure for Parkinson’s.
Watch this short film on the Choi family’s empowering story - and hear how Jimmy has been catapulted onto the national stage in pursuit of an unexpected goal.
To learn more about eliminating Parkinson’s disease in our lifetime, visit www.michaeljfox.org.
Special thanks to the Choi family for participating in this production, and to J.D. Pruess, “American Ninja Warrior” and NBC.
Production Crew:
Director: Nelle Fortenberry; Co-Director: Ashley Iser; Executive Producers: Michael J. Fox and Nelle Fortenberry; Producer: Ashley Iser; Associate Producer: Norina Gueller; Directors of Photography: Reid Petro, Matt Rossetti, David DiFalco; Audio: Tom Lino, Kyle Kaiser; Editor: Cameron Clendaniel; Music Supervisor: Michelle de Vries; Sound Edit and Mix: Greg Smith; Senior Vice President of Communications and Content Strategies, The Michael J. Fox Foundation: Holly Teichholtz
Music Credits:
“House of Tears”
Composed by Billie Ray Fingers, Jasha Alain Klebe, Bruce Fingers
Published by Extreme Production Music USA, Bayham Music
“Springs Eternal”
Composed by Billie Ray Fingers, Andrew Brick Johnson, Bruce Fingers
Published by Extreme Production Music USA
“Junk in the Trunk”
Composed by Lorne David Roderick Balfe, Bruce Fingers, Billie Ray Fingers
Published by Extreme Production Music USA
“A Charmed Life”
Composed by Jasha Alain Klebe, Bruce Fingers, Billie Ray Fingers
Published by Extreme Production Music USA, Bayham Music
“Feel It Still”
Performed by Portugal.The Man
Written by Asa Taccone, John Baldwin Gourley, Robert Bateman, Brian Holland, Georgia Dobbins, Freddie Gorman, William E. Garrett, Zachary Scott Carothers, John Graham Hill, Kyle O. Quin, Eric Andrew Howk, Jason Wade Sechrist
Published by Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Corp., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp. All rights reserved.

[@rj2842]

So inspiring and encouraging 👍

[@fitnessdestination3758]

Love your positive energy!

[@josefeliciano1013]

Inspirational, way to go 💪👍

[@DianesChannel]

Amazing and inspiring! My husband is a boxer, not a patient in Rock Steady Boxing. Jimmy Choi is a RUNNER not a patient. Embrace who you are, not how you are labeled. Love and success to all those who are fighting Parkinsons!!!!

[@pamaluda5965]

I am Paola Deiana, I am 58 years old. I affected by Parkinson in age 40 years....I am positive personality, but the life is hard...I am Italian and i hope to have a great energy . My energy is...Jesus...

[@atxmicpunk4628]

Happy birthday Michael J. Fox you are the best actor ever and I wish you the best of luck for finding a cure for Parkinson's disease❤❤❤❤

[@nancieecheverria7239]

This is the BEST story yet about what determination, inspiration and dedication will do for a Parkinson's person!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go, Jimmy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@marthaisais2686]

I love this story because it is very similar to my husband's life, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease when he was 32 years old, he used to play baseball and football in high school, he made all the possible for keeping moving and he was member of Parkinson's Foundation, but he passed away 03/12/2018. I'll always love you. My great warrior. NOLBERTO ISAIS.

[@paulchristensen7276]

Well done Jimmy, I'm 61 & recently got to 16 kilometers (10 miles) semi walk & semi jog. In my 20's I would run that almost daily. I have recently accepted that I need to take my medication. I miss writing most of all. I used to take notes all the time & it's frustrating not being able to.

[@TheDinah888]

@paulchristensen7276, this is Dinah replying 7/19/23, so you likely won't see this. My suggestion is for you to try dictating…a friend of mine dictates all her books (she's published several). I love writing and take a lot of notes, and hope I don't lose that...

[@ddcczheng1998]

He is a hero

[@robertpacker8755]

You are an inspiration. I have Parkinson's. Parkinson's doesn't have me. Move, move , move.

[@symbyxbiome]

inspiring, incredible person and athlete

[@jcgowl]

What an inspiration!

[@elizamaroney]

What an inspiration! Just keep moving!!

[@terilowe-griffin6139]

Your amazing, my husband had PD but he liked to fish and ride bikes

[@kellyfarrell4971]

Thank you Jimmy. :)

[@peteoakden5422]

awesome

[@marclumley1814]

Jimmy, my wife and I just completed our first half marathon after my diagnosis came down before Thanksgiving. We read the article about you finishing the NYC and, with the encouragement of our son Hayden and the inspiration of your story, we decided to go for it. We want to thank Hayden for his belief in us, you Jimmy for the inspiring story and Liz, Mia and Kristen (who we enjoyed meeting right before the race) part of our new extended family at MJFF for facilitating our Team Isaiah 40:31 page at Team Fox and Michael J. Fox for not taking his diagnosis lying down. Hope to pound out a few miles with you someday man!

[@PelczarTomasz]

I'm on this blog, because my grandmother had died within older age because of Parkinson ... She was not taking medicine, zero pills, zero other things, God knows why and had died more then 10 years ago ...

[@chamlyherbygunawardena6558]

I am 65 years old suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Anybody know most suitable simple exercises for me please text me

[@michaellibove9765]

Mike Libove

[@nyaqe181]

He is my dads boss