12 October 2023 , 23:07
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Bruce Willis ' heartbreaking battle with frontotemporal dementia (also known as FTD) has been tough on him and his family since his initial diagnosis.
His health woes were first revealed last year in March 2022 when the actor's family shared that he suffered from aphasia, a language disorder that impacts someone's speech and writing.
The family's statement said: "To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities. As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him."
READ MORE: Bruce Willis' wife Emma finally shares 'happy news' after dementia diagnosis
Emma is his primary caretaker (AFP via Getty Images)It wasn't until February of this year that a statement was shared about his FTD. The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration; Bruce's wife Emma Heming Willis; Demi Moore, his ex-wife; and his five daughters Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn released a joint statement to the public.
Bruce Willis diagnosed with dementia as family release emotional statement
"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," it read.
Emma, whom Bruce married in 2009, is his primary caretaker and has shared that she feels guilty about it. "I think it’s so hard to regulate sometimes how you’re feeling and I think sometimes caregivers feel so guilty, you know. God dare they look after themselves," she said, "But’s it’s so important in order to sustain. And I always say this, like you have to be able to look after yourself because you can’t look after the person that you love if you aren’t filling yourself up."
His wife also shared on the TODAY Show that it's "hard to know" if Bruce is aware of his condition. She added that his fight has instilled important lessons in their shared daughters Mabel and Evelyn like "love, patience, and resilience."
"It's teaching them so much and how to care and love, and it’s really a beautiful thing amongst the sadness," she added. Bruce's older daughters that he shares with Demi Moore have also shared how they're handling the news.
Bruce's daughters have been supportive of their fatherTallulah wrote for British Vogue that she has every voicemail from her dad kept on a hard drive. "I find that I'm trying to document, to build a record for the day when he isn't there to remind me of him and of us," she wrote.
In June, Rumer shared a Father's Day snap of Bruce and her eight-week-old daughter Louetta. She captioned the post: ""Seeing my father hold my daughter today was something I will treasure for the rest of my life. His sweetness and love for her was so pure and beautiful. Papa I'm so lucky to have you and so is Lou. Thank you for being the silliest, most loving, coolest Daddio a girl could ask for. Best Girl Dad in the game."
Most recently, the creator of Moonlighting, the television show that shot Bruce to fame, Glenn Gordon Caron, shared an update on the star's health. Glenn spoke to Page Six and shared: "My sense is the first one to three minutes he knows who I am. He’s not totally verbal; he used to be a voracious reader - he didn’t want anyone to know that - and he’s not reading now."
"All those language skills are no longer available to him, and yet he’s still Bruce," he added, "When you’re with him you know that he’s Bruce and you’re grateful that he’s there, but the joie de vivre is gone."