Since being diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that impairs communication abilities, actor Bruce Willis has retreated from the spotlight. His family has openly shared updates about his health, revealing that his condition has progressed to frontotemporal dementia (FTD). They’ve also kept fans informed about his ongoing journey.
“We want to start by expressing our deepest gratitude for the overwhelming love, support, and wonderful stories we’ve received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis,” his daughter Rumer Willis wrote on social media.
“In that spirit, we’d like to provide an update on our beloved husband, father, and friend, as we now have a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing.
“Since announcing Bruce’s aphasia diagnosis in spring 2022, his condition has progressed, and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (FTD),” she continued.
The family explained that as Bruce’s cognitive functions decline further, doctors are doing everything possible to ease his journey.
Emma Heming, Willis’ wife, has been working closely with a dementia specialist to ensure the Die Hard actor receives the best care. In 2022, she reflected on the emotional toll of the situation: “My grief can be paralyzing, but I’m learning how to live alongside it. As my stepdaughter [Scout Willis] told me, grief is the deepest and purest form of love. I hope you find some comfort in that too.”
Recently, Emma discovered Instagram’s memory feature, which highlights past posts. She shared a clip from a year earlier of Willis expressing his admiration for her. In the caption, she wrote: “What’s this new Memory thingy on IG!? Omg, my biggest fan. I’m in love with him.”
In the video, Bruce enthusiastically praised Emma’s skincare brand, Cocobaba, saying he was “crazy” about it.
Even before the family publicly disclosed Willis’ diagnosis, colleagues on set had observed changes.
“It wasn’t so much an annoyance as it was, ‘How can we avoid making Bruce look bad?’” a crew member from his recent film White Elephant shared. “Someone would feed him a line, but he didn’t understand what it meant. He was essentially being puppeted.”
The Willis family remains committed to supporting Bruce through this challenging chapter while continuing to share heartfelt updates with fans who have offered their unwavering love and encouragement.
