Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia

Since being diagnosed with aphasia just a year ago, Bruce Willis’ condition has worsened into irreversible frontotemporal dementia. His family reports it in a statement signed by his wife, Emma Hemming; his ex-wife, Demi Moore; and daughters Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn Willis: “Since announcing Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in the spring of 2022, her condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD). Unfortunately, the challenges with communication are just a symptom of the illness Bruce is dealing with. While it’s painful, it’s a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.”

Unfortunately, for now this type of neural damage is irreversible: “FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and it can affect anyone. For people under the age of 60, FTD is the most common form of dementia and because it can take years to be diagnosed , FTD is likely to be much more common than we think. Today there is no cure for the disease, a reality that we hope will change in the coming years. As Bruce’s condition progresses, we hope the media attention can be focused on shedding light on this disease which needs much more awareness and research.”

In the text, originally posted through the Frontotemporal Degeneration Association website, the family also thanks the love of Willis fans: “As a family, we wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the love and compassion you have shown Bruce over the past ten months. The generosity of spirit has been overwhelming and we are immensely grateful.”. In addition, the letter also encourages people to seek out more information about the disease, whether someone close is suffering from it or not, by following, for example, the Association on social networks.

prepare for the moment

The 67 year old actor, known for movies like ‘The Sixth Sense’, ‘Pulp Fiction’, ‘Armageddon’ or ‘Die Hard’, retired from acting in 2022 after releasing more than eight films in 2021, some of dubious quality, preparing for the time when he could no longer work.

Via his Instagram account, Rumer Willis warned his followers that the family had posted an update on his father’s health:

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A post shared by Rumer Glenn Willis (@rumerwillis)

“Our family wanted to begin by expressing our deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support and wonderful stories we have received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis. In that spirit, we wanted to bring you an update on our loving husband, father and friend, as we now have a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing.”

The type of dementia Willis suffers from is due to an abnormal buildup of proteins in the brain. They damage brain cells to the point of killing them. causing narrowing or atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes. There are two common forms of it and in the actor’s case it is known as primary progressive aphasia and it impairs understanding and communication with symptoms that worsen over time.