The family of Bruce Willis announced that the actor was diagnosed with a rare form of dementia. The condition affects cognitive abilities, causing difficulty with speech and the ability to interpret what others say.
In a statement sent to the Frontotemporal Degeneration Association, Willis’ family (wife Emma Heming-Willis, ex-wife Demi Moore and daughters Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel and Evelyn) said:
“We would like to thank you all for your outpouring of love and compassion for Bruce over the past 10 months. We announced aphasia in the spring of 2022, but Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: Frontotemporal Dementia (also known as LFS). Unfortunately, communication problems are just one of the symptoms of the disease Bruce is dealing with. Although it hurts, it’s a relief to finally get a clear diagnosis.”
LVD is a less common type of dementia, and its most striking symptoms are: changes in behavior and problems with speech; the condition affects cognitive functions (memory, attention, motor skills, intelligence and other processes controlled by the brain). Bruce’s family said in a statement that the actor “always believed in the power of his voice in the world to help others and raise awareness of important issues both publicly and personally.” Relatives say the actor would like to draw attention to frontotemporal dementia if he could.
Rumer Willis, the actor’s daughter, shared a new photo of her father — where he is standing on the beach, smiling.
Bruce, 67, has worked in film for more than four decades, participated in more than a hundred projects and was recognized with a star on the Walk of Fame and numerous awards.
The actor appeared on the screens in the 1980s, making his television debut in the series Moonlight Detective Agency. For the next 10 years, he was considered one of the highest-grossing action stars thanks to his role as John McClane in the Peanuts franchise. Bruce also starred in the sci-fi hits The Fifth Element and Armageddon, the crime drama Pulp Fiction, and the horror thriller The Sixth Sense. Willis’ latest projects include the last chapter of the Detective Knight trilogy.
Willis continued his career in the years leading up to his retirement, albeit with less success. In 2021, the Razzies, the annual awards given to the worst films of the year, established a separate category for actor and canceled it after Bruce was diagnosed with aphasia.
Source: Collider, The Guardian
