John loved sailing, walks on the beach, coaching youth soccer, Miami Heat basketball, dancing and playing several instruments. In his later years he played the autoharp at festivals, with friends and at nursing homes. He made friends wherever he went. His nickname became Harper John. When Parkinson's limited his ability to remain at home he resided at a nursing home for over four years. He kept his positive attitude and continued to play his music. The Sunday church program brought him joy and encouragement. Although he was no longer able to walk, he would "hitch a ride" which was his way of saying he flagged someone to push him to the activities he enjoyed. He clapped his hands when the musical entertainers performed at the facility and tapped his foot wishing he could still dance. He was able to play his autoharp through out his time at the facility including playing with his folk music friends at the Valentine's party in 2024. He lived life to the fullest and is loved by many.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson's today. The Foundation is the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research, with more than $800 million in high-impact research funded to date.
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