Bruce Willis suffers as dementia worsens: 70-yr-old Die Hard actor can now no longer speak or read, has trouble walking
Bruce Willis' FTD progresses
The deterioration began in 2022 when Willis retired from acting after a diagnosis of aphasia. By early 2023, the underlying cause was revealed to be FTD, a cruel disorder that robs people of communication, behaviour, and eventually motor functions. Since then, Willis has faded further from public life, now relying entirely on his family for care.
Bruce Willis' family is by his side
Throughout this painful decline, Willis' blended family has remained his strongest support. His wife Emma Heming Willis, ex-wife Demi Moore, and five daughters, Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn, continue to care for him together. Their rare but intimate social media posts show a man still deeply loved, even as his abilities diminish.
In May 2025, Emma described how the family had received a diagnosis but no direction. She recalled being sent away with "no hope, no guidance, no nothing," and having to piece together care plans on her own. Her honesty has made her a quiet but powerful voice in dementia caregiving advocacy.
Rather than clinical updates, family tributes in 2025 focus on joy, presence, and small gestures. Tallulah shares affectionate throwbacks, while Demi's birthday and Father's Day posts speak of love that endures beyond words. The message is clear: Bruce may be slipping away physically, but emotionally, he is still very much present.
How Bruce Willis story is raising awareness about FTD
Despite his condition, Willis' legacy remains firmly intact. From Moonlighting to The Sixth Sense, Pulp Fiction to Unbreakable, his four-decade-long career continues to influence action cinema. While Assassin and Detective Knight: Independence marked his final on-screen roles, his family has become the voice of his final chapter.
Though there is no treatment breakthrough as of mid-2025, Bruce's story is doing something powerful, it is raising awareness. His family's transparency is spotlighting the brutal realities of FTD and the emotional labour of caregiving. It is no longer just about a movie star's illness; it is about human dignity, and fighting to preserve it.
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Time of India
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News18
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