Earlier, Bruce Willis and his family announced his ouster from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia. The actor’s family has now shared an update on his medical condition and said that his “condition has progressed.” In a statement posted on Thursday, Willis’ family said that Bruce has a more specific diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia.
“While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis,” the statement read. “FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone.”
In March 2022, Bruce Willis’ family shared that his aphasia affected his cognitive abilities and the condition causes a loss of the ability to understand or express speech.
In a recent statement, the family had maintained that communication challenges were just one of the symptoms of frontotemporal dementia.
“Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead,” the family’s statement read, adding that it can take years to get a proper diagnosis. “As Bruce’s condition advances, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs far more awareness and research.”
The statement was reportedly posted on the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration and signed by Willis’ wife, Emma Heming Willis, his ex-wife Demi Moore, and his five children, Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn.
“Bruce has always found joy in life — and has helped everyone he knows to do the same,” the family said Thursday. “It has meant the world to see that sense of care echoed back to him and to all of us. We have been so moved by the love you have all shared for our dear husband, father, and friend during this difficult time. Your continued compassion, understanding, and respect will enable us to help Bruce live as full a life as possible.”
In a career spanning over four decades, Bruce Willis has been a part of some of the most critically acclaimed films like Die Hard and The Sixth Sense. Interestingly, his films have earned more than $5 billion at the worldwide box-office. The prolific actor enjoys a massive fanbase and the news of his diagnosis left the fans shocked.
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