Inside Bruce Willis' Life Nearly Two Years After His Dementia Diagnosis
The life of Bruce Willis has changed drastically over the last couple of years. He went from being an unstoppable force in Hollywood to being out of the limelight completely.
In March 2022, in a joint statement on social media, the Willis family announced that he would be retiring from acting due to a serious health issue. They wrote, "To Bruce's amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities." According to Mayo Clinic, aphasia "affects how you communicate," which explains why he had to take a step back from acting. Fans were devastated to see Willis retire and to witness his health deteriorate and worsen over time.
In February 2023, nearly a year after his first diagnosis, the Willis family provided an update on his health. They said, "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)." Frontotemporal dementia is a brain disease, and some symptoms include lack of judgment, trouble with speech, muscle weakness, and so much more, according to Mayo Clinic. There is no cure for dementia, but the Willis family has been grateful for the outpouring of support. And now that it has been nearly two years since his first diagnosis, fans have been wondering what the actor has been up to since.
Bruce Willis has spent time with family
Since his diagnosis, Bruce Willis has been spending a lot of time with his family. In March 2023, Bruce's ex-wife, Demi Moore, posted a video of them celebrating his birthday. All his kids, his wife, and Moore gathered around to sing happy birthday to him as he looked overjoyed to be spending time with his entire family. Moore wrote in her caption, "Happy birthday, BW! So glad we could celebrate you today. Love you and love our family."
Bruce and Moore's eldest daughter, Rumer Willis, has been incredibly appreciative of all the time she gets to spend with her father. On Father's Day 2023, Rumer shared a sweet post of her dad carrying her newborn daughter and had a sweet caption to match. She wrote, "Seeing my father hold my daughter today was something I will treasure for the rest of my life. His sweetness and love for her was so pure and beautiful."
Although the family has been enjoying their time with Bruce, it hasn't always been easy. Emma Willis, Bruce's wife, has been candid about how difficult it has been to take on the role of caregiver. She shared on Instagram, "I'm not good. But I have to put my best foot forward for the sake of myself and my family..." Despite all the difficulties that come with Bruce's diagnosis, the Willis family is making the most of their time with the actor.
Bruce Willis has been enjoying time out in California
Besides spending time with family, Bruce Willis has been enjoying days out in California. Although he has kept a relatively low profile since his diagnosis, he still enjoys normal outings. In May 2022, Willis looked overjoyed as he had lunch with friends in Santa Monica. The "Pulp Fiction" actor was all smiles as he walked into the restaurant with a laid-back look of jeans and a t-shirt. This outing was just two months after his family revealed that he was initially diagnosed with aphasia. His time with friends only continued in October, when once again, he was spotted enjoying lunch with pals in Brentwood. As we know, his condition has only worsened in the past year, but Willis is still spending time out on the town.
Since he was diagnosed with dementia in March 2023, Willis hasn't been out and about as freely as he would in the past. However, he does take drives with anyone who will accompany him. In September 2023, Bruce was seen alongside his wife driving around California. In November 2023, the actor was spotted again in a black hoodie in the passenger seat as he took a stroll around the streets of Los Angeles. Although he hasn't been out as much as he used to, many are just happy to see the actor enjoying his time in California.