Bruce Willis’s family has said that he has frontotemporal dementia. They said in a post on social media that it was “relieving to finally have a clear diagnosis.”
The 67-year-old was diagnosed with aphasia, which makes it hard to speak, in the spring of last year. However, his condition has gotten worse and he has been given a more specific diagnosis, according to his family.
They said that they were “deeply grateful for the amazing outpouring of love.”
The family went on to say that frontotemporal dementia is the most common type of dementia in people under 60.
My heart goes out to Bruce Willis and his family, & also my gratitude for shining a much needed light on this disease. When people step forward it helps all of us. When people get a diagnosis it’s extremely difficult, but also for most a relief to get a diagnosis. pic.twitter.com/macAukMe7U
— Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) February 16, 2023
“There are no treatments for the disease right now, which is something we hope will change in the coming years,” said the statement.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Willis was a well-known name because he was in hit movies like Die Hard, The Sixth Sense, Armageddon, and Pulp Fiction.
He has also been nominated for five Golden Globes and three Emmys, where he won two. He won one Golden Globe for Moonlighting.
But Willis’s family said last year that he would stop acting because his aphasia was making it hard for him to think.
In a new statement released on Thursday, they said they hoped that the attention of the media would bring more attention to the actor’s health.
It said: “Bruce always thought that he should use his voice in the world to help other people and raise public and private awareness about important issues.
“We know in our hearts that if he could respond today, he would want to bring global attention to those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it affects so many people and their families.”
Members of Willis’s family, such as his wife Emma Heming, with whom he has two daughters, and his ex-wife Demi Moore and their three daughters, all signed the statement.
A well-known advocate for care and research for people with brain disorders, US journalist Maria Shriver tweeted: “My heart goes out to Bruce Willis and his family, and thank you for bringing this disease to people’s attention.
“When people take action, it helps everyone. People find out what’s wrong with them when they get a diagnosis. This is very hard, but for most people, it’s also a relief.”
Aaron Paul, who played Walter White on the American crime drama Breaking Bad, called Willis “such a damn legend” and told him, “I love you so much, my friend.”
Queen Latifah, an American singer and actress, wrote in an Instagram post: “We love you, my brother. God bless you. best wishes. We had a lot of fun with you and your family.”
Selma Blair, an actress who has multiple sclerosis, wrote simply, “Sending love.”
According to the NHS website in the UK, frontotemporal dementia is a “rare” form of the disease that makes it hard for the person to behave and communicate.
Movements that are slow or stiff, loss of bladder or bowel control (which usually happens later), and weak muscles are also signs.