Bruce Willis was seen in public for the first time since his family told the world last month that he has frontotemporal dementia. On Thursday, the actor went out with friends in Santa Monica.
Read on to find out more.
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Spotted In Santa Monica
On Thursday, the actor was seen at a coffee shop in Santa Monica, California, with two friends. For the trip, he wore a blue sweater, black joggers, and a woolen hat.
Retirement From Acting
The movie star quit acting last year because he was having trouble with his language because he had aphasia. But since then, things have gone from bad to worse.
Family Statement
Last month, Bruce Willis’ family confirmed that he has FTD by putting out a statement on Instagram and the website of The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.
Our family wanted to start by expressing our deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support and wonderful stories we have all received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis. In the spirit of that, we wanted to give you an update about our beloved husband, father and friend since we now have a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing. 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.
Frontotemporal Dementia
This disease affects the parts of the brain behind the forehead that control emotions, behavior, and planning.
It causes changes in personality, obsessive behavior, and trouble speaking.
More About FTD
This disease is the most common type of dementia, and it can take years to be sure of a diagnosis.
FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone. 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.
Bruce Willis’ Family Is Positive
The family was hopeful that someone would find a way to cure the disease that couldn’t be treated.
Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead. As Bruce’s condition advances, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs far more awareness and research.
Raising Awareness
In the statement, Bruce Willis also talked about how much he believed in using his voice to bring about needed change and make people aware of problems.
Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others, and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately. We know in our hearts that – if he could today — he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connectedness with those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families.
Encouraging Others To Find Help
At the end of their statement, they told people who were affected to use the website’s information and support to get help. They are also thankful for the love and kindness shown by fans so far.
Bruce Willis’ Children
The actor has five children with two different women. Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah are his children with Demi Moore, to whom he was married from 1987 to 2000. Mabel and Evelyn are his children with his current wife, Emma Watson.
A Long-Term Battle
Sources say that the actor has had memory problems on movie sets for a long time. Bruce Willis even wore an earpiece to help him remember his lines.
Open Secret
His colleagues talk a lot about how hard it is for him to understand, and he has had a lot of trouble acting in movies. When word got out that he had dementia, his friends rushed to social media to show their support.
Need A Proof?
In a scene for the 2020 movie American Siege, the actor wore an earpiece to confirm the news. Bruce Willis’ aphasia didn’t start until two years after the project.
Troubles On ‘Glass’ Set
Another source also said that he had trouble at the set of the 2019 movie Glass.
While filming Glass, staffers worked around him by cutting and editing and having him overdub lines because he struggled to remember and/or deliver them.
An Illustrious Career
Willis’s long, successful career came to an end when he retired last year. During that time, he won a Golden Globe and two Emmys.
Little Beginnings
He started his long journey to fame on TV. In the 1980s, Willis was the star of TV shows like Miami Vice and Twilight Zone.
The Big Break
When he worked with Cybill Shepherd in the TV show Moonlighting, which ran from 1985 to 1989, he became well-known.
‘Die Hard’
Willis’s role as John McClane in the hit movie Die Hard, which came out in 1988 and spawned six sequels, made him a household name and put him on everyone’s lips.
More Projects
The actor kept going after that. He went on to do great work in movies like Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys, The Sixth Sense, and Unbreakable, which was about a superhero.
Moneybag
A source says that Willis’s movies have made more than $5 billion worldwide.
