Bruce Willis was diagnosed with FTD, a form of dementia, in 2021
Hollywood legend Bruce Willis is in a “very stable place at the moment,” his former wife Demi Moore has shared. The renowned actor, 69, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which has progressively impacted his ability to communicate.
Despite the challenges, the US actress, who was married to Mr Willis for 13 years, expressed optimism saying: “Given the givens, he’s in a very stable place at the moment.”
She emphasised the importance of support for those dealing with such conditions, saying: “I’ve shared this before, but I really mean this so sincerely, it’s so important for anybody who’s dealing with this to really meet them where they’re at, and from that place, there is such loving and joy.
READ MORE: He was left with blood on his hands after his visit to AsdaREAD MORE: Skips, scaffolding and sex shops: All the things it will cost more to do in Liverpool next year
“I mean, obviously it’s very difficult, and it’s not what I would wish upon anyone and there is great loss, but there is also great beauty and gifts that can come out of it.” The ‘Ghost’ actress, who shares three daughters with Mr Willis, spoke to British journalist Christiane Amanpour on CNN.
This latest update comes approximately 18 months after Mr Willis’s family first announced his condition, reports the Mirror.
After the pair split in 2000 the Die Hard star married Emma Heming Willis in 2009, and the couple share two daughters, Mabel and Evelyn. The family has been open about the actor’s health, confirming in March 2022 that he had aphasia, which impairs communication.
Last year, his daughter Rumer revealed he had received a “more specific” diagnosis of FTD. The star’s health concerns have seen him retire from a remarkable acting career that spanned over four decades and included roles in more than 100 films. He clinched a Golden Globe for his standout performance in the ’80s US comedy-drama “Moonlighting.”
Speaking on maintaining a cohesive family dynamic post-separation, Ms Moore, 62, said: “That has been very important to me, even from when Bruce and I separated and divorced, is the recognition that we’re a family and we’ll always be a family, just in a different form.
“And that form may evolve and change, and there is a way in which we can all be in that form. I’m grateful because it’s not just me. It has to require everybody to be coming together, and it’s lovely. I’m really so grateful.”
FTD, which essentially forced the star’s retirement, is broadly characterized as a spectrum of dementias primarily impacting the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. These areas govern significant functions such as personality, behaviour, language, and speech, explains Dementia UK.
