Bruce Willis's family continues to navigate the progression of his frontotemporal dementia, as his wife, Emma Heming Willis, shared new details this week about the actor's health and daily life. The 70-year-old "Die Hard" star was diagnosed last year with the degenerative brain condition, which affects language and behavior. His wife said the most significant change has been neurological, even as his physical health remains largely intact.
Speaking with Diane Sawyer on ABC News, Heming Willis said, "Bruce is still very mobile," and added, "Bruce is in really great health overall, you know. It's just his brain that is failing him." Over the past year, the family has adjusted to his steadily diminishing ability to speak and understand language, developing non-verbal methods of communication that provide emotional closeness without relying on words.
"The language is going, and we've learned to adapt," she said. "And we have a way of communicating with him, which is just a different way."
Heming Willis also confirmed that her husband no longer lives at home, a transition made necessary as his condition advanced. She explained that his medical care now requires an environment structured specifically for dementia patients.
In a separate interview with NewsNation, Heming Willis clarified that Willis does not understand he has dementia-an effect of the illness itself. "The person doesn't realise that they are experiencing a decline in their health," she said. "So it's not denial; this is just a part of the disease." She described the situation as "a blessing and a curse" for the family.
For Heming Willis, the absence of awareness has prevented the emotional distress that many patients experience. "I am grateful that Bruce never tapped into the idea that he had FTD," she added.
Frontotemporal dementia impacts the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, leading to reduced comprehension, communication loss, and changes in personality. There is no cure, and progression can be gradual or rapid depending on the individual.
The Willis family, including his daughters and ex-wife Demi Moore, has maintained a united front, prioritizing routine and familiar surroundings as a source of comfort. They continue to emphasize privacy while sharing occasional updates to help raise awareness for a disease that remains less widely recognized than Alzheimer's.
