Celebrities
‘Die Hard’ actor Bruce Willis diagnosed with dementia
‘Die Hard’ star retired from his acting career in 2022 due to an aphasia diagnosis, and his family have now announced he has dementia.
The family of Bruce Willis have formally announced that the ‘Die Hard’ actor has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, less than a year after he retired from acting.
Willis announced his retirement from the stage and screen in March 2022 after he was diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that affects cognitive functioning. Now, in a statement released by the Willis family, Bruce’s diagnosis of dementia has been confirmed.
Willis family makes announcement
Rumer Willis, daughter of Bruce Willis and actress Demi Moore, posted the announcement about her father’s dementia diagnosis on Instagram Thursday on behalf of the “Ladies of Willis/Moor”.
The ‘Now and Then’ actress posted a photo of her father relaxed and smiling on the beach, and in the caption she wrote an update on the health of the 67-year-old, revealing that his condition has progressed since the aphasia diagnosis and that he sadly has now been diagnosed with dementia.
“We wanted to give you an update about our beloved husband, father and friend since we now have a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing,” the Willis/Moor statement read. .
“Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD).
“Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.”
The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration
The Willis Moore ladies expressed their gratitude to family, friends, and fans for their love and support during this difficult time, emphasizing that since Willis’ aphasia diagnosis in 2022, the family has been overwhelmed by all the encouragement from others.
“[We express] our deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support and wonderful stories we have all received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis,” the statement continued.
The note was signed, “In Love & Gratitude. Ladies of Willis/Moor.”
In a further statement on the AFD website, the Willis family explained more about their father’s condition, as well as his attitude about his recent health challenges.
“FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone,” the statement reads. “Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead.
“As Bruce’s condition advances, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs far more awareness and research.”
Bruce Willis to dedicate his life to others
The family expands on Bruce Willis’ intentions in the midst of this struggle. The actor wishes to dedicate his life to connecting with others who are going through FTD too.
“Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others, and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately,” the family explained.
“We know in our hearts that – if he could today -- he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connectedness with those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families.”
What is frontotemporal dementia?
According to Mayo Clinic, frontotemporal dementia affects the area of the brain associated with personality, behavior and language.
The frontal lobes shrink, or trophy, which can sometimes cause someone to have “dramatic changes in their personalities and become socially inappropriate, impulsive or emotionally indifferent,” while others lose language abilities.