Michael Douglas followed in the footsteps of his legendary father, Kirk Douglas, and has established himself as a renowned figure in the world of acting and film production. However, despite having a successful career in Hollywood, Michael’s life hasn’t been a smooth run as he battled stage IV throat cancer in 2010. Thankfully, the actor has since been cancer-free following rigorous treatments.
Now approaching the octagenarian milestone, Michael, who had previously expressed that he did not dwell on thoughts of mortality, has found himself contemplating the inevitable subject. He explained that the shift in perspective was prompted by a question raised by one of his children.
Michael Douglas says his daughter, Carys, is worried about him living long enough to see her get married
In a candid interview from June 2019, Douglas opened up that even though he does not think about death or aging, his only daughter, Carys, whom he shares with his wife, actress Catherine Zeta-Jones, always reminds him of mortality.
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He shared that his daughter was highly emotional while expressing her concerns about his age and the possibility of him not being alive when she is ready for marriage. “When she explains to me that she is afraid that I will no longer be there when she gets married,” Douglas admitted, “tears come to her eyes.”
Micheal Douglas reveals he wasn’t afraid of death during his battles with cancer
During the interview, the actor shared a deeply personal story that shed light on his unique perspective on life and death. He recounted a pivotal moment from his past- his father’s involvement in a harrowing helicopter accident. Remarkably, his father survived this terrifying incident and lived up to 103 years, defying the odds and embracing a long, fulfilling life. He further expressed that witnessing his father’s near-death experience significantly shaped his somewhat carefree and unafraid attitude towards death.
The actor also admitted that he maintained this fearless attitude during his struggles with cancer. “It’s weird, I know, but during the entire time I was going through chemotherapy and radiation, it never crossed my mind that I could die,” Douglas confessed.