bruce willis' family 'soaking up every moment' as dementia worsens
'no one knows how much time bruce has left,' insider tells us weekly
dec 7 2023
4 minute read
we apologize, but this video has failed to load.
try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.
tap here to see other videos from our team.
as bruce willis’ dementia worsens, his loved ones are “soaking up every moment they get with him” heading into the christmas holidays.
“bruce has good days and bad days, but in the last two months, there are many more bad days than good,” a source exclusively tells us weekly . “this experience has brought the whole family even closer together. no one knows how much time bruce has left, so they’re soaking up every moment they get with him.”
after the die hard star’s dementia diagnosis, his family, which includes wife emma heming and their two daughters, as well as his three children from his marriage to demi moore, are all living together.
“they’re all there all the time,” a second source adds. “once bruce was diagnosed, everyone came together to keep his memory of the family intact and to be there as a constant reminder (that they) love him. (everything) revolves around him.”
in march 2022, willis’ family announced that he had been diagnosed with aphasia and would be “stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.”
earlier this year, his loved ones revealed that he is suffering from a type of dementia known as frontotemporal dementia.
“since we announced bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as ftd). unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease bruce faces. while this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis,” they shared in a message with his fans.
according to the mayo clinic , frontotemporal dementia is an “umbrella term for a group of brain disorders that primarily affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. these areas of the brain are generally associated with personality, behaviour and language.”
advertisement
advertisement
“ftd is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone,” his family added in a statement on the association for frontotemporal degeneration website . “for people under 60, ftd is the most common form of dementia, and because getting the diagnosis can take years, ftd is likely much more prevalent than we know.”
willis is “declining” the second insider tells the outlet, but his family and close friends are a constant support to him. “plus, the health care he receives is impeccable.”
last month, willis’ daughter rumer, 35, wrote that she was “missing” her dad in an emotional instagram post.
in a throwback photo shared with her 1.1 million followers, willis was seen smiling as he holds rumer as a baby. she captioned the photo: “really missing my papa today,” with an emoji smiling with a single tear.
us weekly’s source said that willis is spending time with his granddaughter, louetta, whom rumer gave birth to in april.
“rumer wants to make sure louetta knows [bruce],” the insider says. “she wants him to be actively involved in louetta’s life. it’s a very special bond.”
rumer’s social media post came after her sister tallulah also paid tribute to their father on instagram, sharing a series of photos that have brought comfort to her in recent months.
one showed her and bruce in a big armchair clasping hands, and another shows them standing together in a driveway with her wearing a die hard sweatshirt.
advertisement
advertisement
tallulah also shared an update on her dad’s health during a recent appearance on the drew barrymore show .
“he is the same, which i think in this regard i’ve learned is the best thing you can ask for,” she said on a recent episode. “i see love when i’m with him. and it’s my dad and he loves me, which is really special.”
meanwhile, bruce’s second wife, emma — with whom he shares two daughters, mabel 11, and evelyn, 9 — recently opened up on her “struggle with guilt” amid her husband’s battle with ftd.
“i struggle with guilt, knowing that i have resources that others don’t,” she wrote in an op-ed for maria shriver’s sunday paper .
bruce willis and emma heming willis.
getty
“when i’m able to get out for a hike to clear my head, it’s not lost on me that not all care partners can do that,” she continued
“when what i share about our family’s journey gets press attention, i know that there are many thousands of untold, unheard stories, each of them deserving of compassion and concern.”
speaking on the today show in september , emma said the disease was taking a toll on the people closest to her spouse.
“dementia is hard,” emma said. “it’s hard on the person diagnosed, it’s also hard on the family. and that is no different for bruce, or myself, or our girls. when they say this is a family disease, it really is.”
advertisement
advertisement
when co-anchor hoda kotb asked if her partner knows what is happening to him, emma said she was unsure.
“it’s hard to know,” she replied. “it’s hard to know.”
share story
