Bruce Willis’ family has announced he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia after retiring from acting in May. The Pulp Fiction and Sin City actor was originally diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that affects a person’s language and ability to communicate.
A statement was posted on the website for the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration. It was signed by Willis’ family – including wife Emma Heming and daughters Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel and Evelyn, as well as his ex-wife Demi Moore. It revealed Willis’s aphasia had progressed into a diagnosis of dementia. The actor had already caused concerns, due to problems with language and memory, which had caused his retirement in May.
The statement stated, “While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis”.
Bruce Willis, who is well known for his role as John McLane in the smash hit Die Hard, became one of the most successful movie stars of the 1980s and 1990s. He then later went to star in movies such as Pulp Fiction, The Sixth Sense and Sin City. He has starred in over 100 films and has received many accolades, including two primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe, as well as a star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
According to the NHS, Frontotemporal dementia is a degenerative condition which causes issues with behaviour and language. It is caused by a decline in brain function and does not have a cure.
Willis’ family hope that this media attention to his condition can help raise more awareness on the condition.
The statement continued: “Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead. 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.”