Hollywood icon Bruce Willis was initially diagnosed with aphasia in 2022 before his condition ‘progressed’ and doctors learned he has frontotemporal dementia
Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Heming Willis, revealed a devastating update about the Die Hard actor’s health following his dementia diagnosis. Bruce, now 70, was initially diagnosed with aphasia in 2022, with his family explaining that his cognitive abilities were affected by the condition, which can involve difficulty with communication.
It was then shared the following year that his condition had “progressed”. They said that, since initial diagnosis, he had received a “more specific” one of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). His family, including ex-wife Demi Moore and their children, have been sharing regular updates on his condition.
In Emma’s new book, The Unexpected Journey, she details the progression of his diagnosis while also detailing how their lives have changed.
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Early on in the book, Emma revealed Bruce isn’t able to communicate with her. She said: “All caregiving journeys can feel lonely and isolating, but the dementia caregiver’s path often feels even more so.
“The absence of shared decision making or meaningful conversations with your loved one amplifies that sense of isolation. Because Bruce can’t communicate with me (due to the variant forms of FTD he has, primary progressive aphasia) I must make judgement calls for him about absolutely everything.
“I can’t ask him how he’s feeling, what’s wrong, or if something hurts. Instead, I read his body language or look into his eyes to understand what’s bothering him and what he’s experiencing. I compare this to that instinct that you have as a parent.”
Emma admitted she has a ‘hard time’ responding to people asking how he’s been doing as her ‘unhinged response’ would be to tell them: “Well, he has FTD. How do you think he’s doing?!”
She said: “Yes, I know when people ask that, it is coming from a place of concern and love. And of course, it’s better they ask than skirt by it; I just have a hard time responding without spiralling.”
Bruce’s daughter with Demi, Tallulah Willis, once said his family thought his “unresponsiveness” was due to his hearing issues prior to his dementia diagnosis.
Speaking about the symptoms, she told Vogue in 2023: “It started out with a kind of vague unresponsiveness, which the family chalked up to Hollywood hearing loss: ‘Speak up! Die Hard messed with Dad’s ears.’ Later that unresponsiveness broadened [though].”
In the recent interview with Fox News Digital, Emma also spoke about other signs that she noticed. She said that Bruce had a “severe stutter” as a child but later learned to “manage” it.
She however said that one of the “first signs” before his diagnosis was that his stutter was “coming back”.
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Source: Mirror
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