After Bruce Willis’ family announced in March 2022 that the actor had been diagnosed with aphasia and would be retiring from acting, it’s now clear he has dementia. His family released a statement Thursday regarding Willis’s health condition.
The statement, published on the Association for Frontotemporal Degneration’s website, said: “Since announcing Bruce’s aphasia diagnosis in Spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has evolved and we now have a more accurate diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Unfortunately, the communication problems are just a symptom of the illness Bruce is struggling with. While it is painful, it is also a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.”
Read the full letter here:
“As a family we would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the tremendous love and compassion you have shown Bruce over the past ten months. Your generosity has been overwhelming and we are very grateful for it. Because of that, and because we know you love Bruce as much as we do, we want to update you.
Since Bruce’s aphasia diagnosis was announced in Spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has continued to deteriorate and we now have a more accurate diagnosis: Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). Unfortunately, the communication problems are just a symptom of the illness Bruce is struggling with. While painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.
FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can affect anyone. In people under the age of 60, FTD is the most common form of dementia, and since it can take years to diagnose, FTD is probably much more common than we know. To date, there are no treatment options for this disease, a fact that will hopefully change in the years to come. We hope so. As Bruce’s condition continues to progress, we hope the media can focus on shedding light on this disease, which needs much more attention and research.
Bruce has always believed in using his voice in the world to help others and raise awareness of important issues, both publicly and personally. We know from the bottom of our hearts that if he could today, he would respond by drawing global attention and connecting with those who are also struggling with this debilitating disease – and the impact it is having on so many people and their families.
We are just family with a loved one suffering from FTD and we encourage others dealing with this condition to seek the wealth of information and support that is available through AFTD (@theaftd, theaftd.org). And for those of you who have been fortunate enough not to have had a personal experience with FTD, we hope that you will take the time to educate yourself about the disease and to support the work of AFTD in any way you can.
Bruce has always found joy in life – and he has helped everyone he knows to do the same. It means a lot to us to see that sense of caring reflect back on him and all of us. We were deeply moved by the love you all showed our dear husband, father and friend during this difficult time. Your compassion, understanding and respect will enable us to give Bruce the fullest life possible.
-Emma, Demi, Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel and Evelyn”