Bruce Willis, the beloved Hollywood actor, has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, according to a statement released by his family on Thursday. The 67-year-old star’s family, including his wife Emma Heming Willis, ex-wife Demi Moore, and his daughters, have revealed that while the news is “painful,” it’s also a “relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.”
The family is committed to raising awareness about the disease, which primarily affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, areas associated with personality, behavior, and language. They are hoping that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this debilitating disease that needs far more awareness and research.
The news of Willis’ diagnosis comes after his family disclosed his diagnosis of aphasia in 2022, which was affecting his cognitive abilities and caused him to take a break from acting. Despite his diagnosis, Willis has continued to work and recently appeared in “Detective Knight: Independence,” the third installment of the popular thriller film series “Detective Knight,” which was released in January 2023. He also has an action movie, “Assassin,” slated for release next month.
The family has expressed their gratitude for the outpouring of love and support they’ve received and urged people to continue showing compassion, understanding, and respect to help Bruce live as full a life as possible. Willis’ daughter Rumer is currently expecting her first child with boyfriend Derek Richard Thomas, and the family is hoping to raise awareness about the disease to help others dealing with the same debilitating illness.
