His wife and daughters are heartbroken as his family navigates grief and daily difficulties as his 70-year-old family navigates frontotemporal dementia in a separate home with 24/7 care.
As his family battles the agonizing truth of his diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia, Bruce Willis is residing in a separate, one-story home with round-the-clock caregivers.
The Hollywood star, now 70, was diagnosed with the condition in February 2023, and has largely withdrawn from public life as his health declines. In recent months, his loved ones have shared rare but emotional insights into how the disease is affecting both Willis and his children.
On December 30 he celebrated his 18th anniversary with wife Emma Hemin Willis, who is 23 years his junior. Marking the occasion, the model and author said: “18 years ago, he became my boyfriend. With one kiss on the top of my head, time stood still. She included a throwback photo of herself and her “Perfect Stranger” co-star on Instagram. “I’m so lucky to know this kind of love.”
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His eldest daughter, Rumer Willis, recently spoke candidly during an Instagram Q&A, revealing that her father does not always recognise her since his diagnosis.
“People always ask me this question and I think it’s a hard one to answer,’ she said tearfully. “The truth is that anybody with FTD is not doing great, but he’s doing okay in terms of somebody who is dealing with frontotemporal dementia.” Rumer explained that the usual ways people measure wellbeing no longer apply. She added: “The only way that I feel like I can answer that in a way that was like “he’s doing great” is like, those parameters don’t really work anymore in my mind.”
She claimed that despite the confusion caused by the illness, she still finds comfort in the moments she spend with him. I’m so happy that he can feel the love I’ve shown him and that I can get it back when I go over there and give him a hug, regardless of whether he recognizes me or not. He can feel the love I’m expressing, and that’s really nice because I still see a spark in him.
She added that she enjoys spending time with her daughter Louetta and spending time with the actor as a family. Williams was married to Demi Moore from 1987 to 2000, but he now lives with Rumer, Scout, 34, and Tallulah, Tallulah, 31. He later wed Emma Heming Willis in 2009, and the couple have two daughters named Evelyn and Mabel.
Emma has spoken openly about the impact of Willis’ illness on their younger children. “I think they’re doing well, all things considered, but it’s hard,” she told Vogue Australia. She added: “They grieve, they miss their dad so much. He’s missing important milestones, that’s tough for them – but kids are resilient, [although] I used to hate hearing that because people didn’t understand what we were walking through. I don’t know if my kids will ever bounce back, but they’re learning and so am I.”
Emma has also evoked her grief. She said, “I’ve had to learn to walk alongside the grief,” in a heartbreaking confession. It stays with me forever. I’m going to be sad, and I’m going to experience all of those feelings and emotions, but I’m also not going to allow it to just be that.
Willis was recently seen walking along the beachfront in Los Angeles while holding his caregiver’s hand in a rare public outing. The Die Hard star occasionally appeared sluggish, reaching for a railing for support, but he smiled while taking a stroll. The incident occurred one day after Moore had attended a New York charity event in his honor. Gillis was not present, and he has largely remained a distant relative since receiving his diagnosis.
Emma has previously confirmed that a full-time care team has moved into a separate one-story home. She claimed that the family needed to make the decision when she spoke about it. According to her, “It was one of the toughest decisions I ever had to make.” However, it was the right choice for him, for our girls, and for me among the sadness and discomfort. I may return to being his wife in the end. And that’s a gift in itself.”
She explained that Willis has also gained more independence and made frequented friends and family visits easier.
“It’s made a difference for more friends and family to experience him without having to leave it at home, without hovering, or having to deal with my anxiety about managing the guest and their expectations, and then having to watch their reactions – their dejection,” said one of the authors.
Areas of the brain that are related to behavior, personality, and language are affected by frontotemporal dementia. Memory loss is not always the first sign, in contrast to Alzheimer’s disease. Emmemma has described the strain of caring for others, forcing her to make changes.
She claimed that Willis’ neurologist warned her that about 30% of caregivers pass away before the people they are caring for, according to a statement on the HealSquad podcast. She remarked, “I really needed that to wake up. Everyone is being handled and doing this, and we are making appointments. We are making a lot of progress. Caregivers must be aware that you must care for yourself, that it is self-preserving, and that it is not selfish.
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Source: Mirror
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