Ryan Reynolds opens up about father's battle with Parkinson's

—It really destabilized my relationship with him because I didn’t really know what was happening — confessed Ryan Reynolds in an interview with Fox News Digital.

Reynolds' father was diagnosed in 1995 and battled the disease until he died in 2015. The actor recalls how problems distinguishing reality from fiction affected his relationship with his father. The helplessness against the disease and the lack of understanding of his mental state were significant challenges for the star.

— At the time I just thought, ‘My dad’s losing his mind.’ My father was really slipping down a rabbit hole where he was struggling to differentiate between reality and fiction. And subsequently everyone else in his life was losing the bedrock faith and trust that they had on his point of view. The actor said it was a massive difference from the person he was when I was growing up.

Reynolds emphasised the value of support his family received from Michael J. Fox, a well-known actor and Parkinson’s activist. Fox helped Reynolds' father feel less alone in his fight. Reflecting on his mother, the primary caregiver for his father, Reynolds spoke about ‘caregiver fatigue’ as an often unmentioned side effect of neurodegenerative diseases.

Although his relationship with his father was complicated, Reynolds laments not being able to be with him when he passed away. However, he sent his father a letter a few months before his death, thanking him for all the moments of support.

Now, as a father of four, Reynolds tries to use his childhood experiences to build stronger bonds with his children. He emphasises the importance of being present and supportive for his kids, even during tough times.