Bruce Willis’s condition worsened with a diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia

Actor Bruce Willis is newly diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, a serious indication of the progression of his aphasia, announced in 2022.

Willis’ family made the announcement today.

“FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can hit anyone,” the statement attributed to Willis’ wife Emma Hemming Willis, ex-wife Demi Moore and children Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel and Evelyn said.

Read the full statement below:

As a family, we wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for your outpouring of love and compassion for Bruce over the past ten months. Your generosity of spirit has been overwhelming, and we are so grateful for it. For your kindness, and because we know you love Bruce as much as we do, we wanted to give you an update.

Since we announced Bruce’s aphasia diagnosis in the spring of 2022, Bruce’s condition has improved and we now have a more definitive diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD). Unfortunately, challenges with communication are only one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. Although it’s painful, it’s a relief to finally get a clear diagnosis.

FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone. For people under the age of 60, FTD is the most common form of dementia, and because diagnosis can take years, FTD is probably more common than we know. Today there is no cure for this disease, a reality that we hope may change in the coming years. As Bruce’s condition improves, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs more awareness and research.

Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others and raise awareness of important issues, both publicly and personally. We know in our hearts that – if he could do it today – he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connection to those dealing with this debilitating disease and how it affects so many individuals and their families.

We are a family with a loved one suffering from FTD and we encourage others to seek out the information and support resources available through AFTD (@theaftd, theaftd.org). And for those of you fortunate enough to have no personal experience with FTD, we hope you’ll take the time to learn about it and support AFTD’s mission in any way you can.

Bruce always found joy in life – and helped everyone he knew do the same. It meant the world that the feeling of caring resonated with her and all of us. We are so moved by the love you have shared for our dear husband, father and friend during this difficult time. Your continued compassion, understanding and respect will help us live Bruce’s life to the fullest as possible.

— Emma, ​​Demi, Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel and Evelyn

This story is developing…