Stevie Nicks performed at the Michael J. Fox Foundation's yearly gala

Stevie Nicks Praises 'Lovely' Michael J. Fox amid His Parkinson's Journey: 'He Just Keeps Going'

The music icon performed at the Michael J. Fox Foundation's yearly gala on Saturday, Nov. 16

By Brenton Blanchet and Marisa Sullivan

People

Stevie Nicks is supporting an important cause and giving props to the "lovely" Michael J. Fox.

On Saturday, Nov. 16, the 76-year-old Fleetwood Mac musician stepped out in New York City for The Michael J. Fox Foundation's yearly A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson’s gala, where she performed a few songs and raved about Fox — all while helping to celebrate his foundation's ongoing dedication to Parkinson's aid with research.

"He is here tonight. And he just keeps going," Nicks told PEOPLE of Fox, 63, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1991 and went public with his diagnosis in 1998. "He got this pretty early. A long time ago. He’s had an amazing career, and he is the face of this. And when they asked me if I wanted to do this, I said of course I want to do it, you know?"

"He’s such a lovely guy. He could have just given up on all this kind of thing a long time ago and he didn’t," she added of his efforts, as Fox developed the MJFF in 2001. "And that’s so magical."

Nicks, who added that Fox is "an amazing guitar player," also posed for some photos on the Cipriani South Street carpet with Fox, his wife Tracy Pollan and fellow musician Maggie Rogers. During the event, the Back to the Future star wore a navy suit and brown paisley-print dress shirt, while Nicks opted for a stylish all-black look.

The gala, which salutes the MJFF's efforts throughout the year alongside patients, families, scientists and donors, was hosted by Denis Leary and featured some music from Nicks and Fox himself, who shared the stage alongside Rogers, 30.

Speaking with PEOPLE, Fox opened up at the event about maintaining his sense of humor, and how he works to ensure that it always shines through. As he explained, maintaining a darker sense of humor is actually “hard for me," adding, “I gotta keep it intact.” He also called his foundation's latest event “so exciting."

“I can’t believe — a lot of these people I’ve known for years and years — they’re so kind to me,” he said. “I think because they see an opportunity for a win, for a big advancement, and that’s what we’re working toward.”

The annual gala has raised $116 million toward Parkinson's disease research so far, with the foundation raising $2 billion total since its inception. Fox previously explained to CBS Mornings during a 2023 interview that his efforts seek to give a voice to the voiceless.

"They didn't have money, they didn't have a voice, and I thought, I could step in for these people and raise some hell," Fox said on the morning show. "It's not a cure. But it's a big spotlight on where we need to go, and what we need to focus on so we know we're on the right path, and we're very proud."

The MJFF's latest gala in N.Y.C. comes just months after their Nashville-based A Country Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson's event in April, which featured appearances from Sheryl Crow, Little Big Town and Jason Isbell.