
There’s a health update on Bruce Willis amid his battle with frontotemporal dementia, as close insiders spill on the actor’s new life in a full-time care home.
The “Die Hard” star has been battling with the brain disorder since 2023, and a new report now says his health is “going downhill fast” as his family continues to support him.
Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Heming Willis, also recently revealed that she has moved him into a separate home away from their primary residence, where he has 24/7 access to a dedicated care team.
Bruce Willis ‘Doesn’t Know Some Faces’ Anymore
Bruce isn’t getting any better as he continues to battle frontotemporal dementia (FTD). The Hollywood actor initially struggled with aphasia before he was diagnosed with dementia in February 2023.
FTD degenerates the brain’s frontal and temporal lobes, affecting an individual’s behavior and language abilities.
Although much of his decline has been kept hush-hush, there’s no known treatment for the condition, and now, sources have revealed that his health is “going downhill fast.”
“He is going downhill fast,” a close source told the Daily Mail, adding that Bruce “doesn’t know some faces” anymore.
The family insider went further to share that his daughters “are all spending as much time with him as they can,” with the “Pulp Fiction” actor seemingly relishing their company because “he lights up when he sees his children.”
There Is ‘No Drama’ Within The Actor’s Family Over His Wife’s Decision To Move Him To A New Home
Bruce’s family has been supportive of him since he was first diagnosed with the condition.
His older daughters, Scout Willis, Rumer Willis, and Tallulah Willis, whom he shares with ex-wife Demi Moore, to whom he was married from 1987 to 2000, have all taken to social media to share glimpses of their time with him as well as fond memories they had growing up.
His second wife, Emma, in particular, has made it a point of hers to create awareness for the condition in a bid to better help individuals with it.
However, she recently came under fire from social media critics after revealing that she’d moved Bruce into another apartment where he has access to a standby care team.
Speaking on the public uproar, the source noted that “There is no drama” whatsoever between the actor’s family, adding that “the whole family likes and supports the way she is looking after Bruce” and that “they feel he is very well taken care of.”
“They’re all dedicated to making his quality of life as good as possible,” the insider added.
Emma Heming Willis Hits Back At People Who Criticized Her Decision To Move Bruce Willis
As reported by The Blast, amid the backlash over her revelation about Bruce’s living condition, Emma hit back at critics, slamming how they are quick to judge caregivers even though they don’t know what the experience of having a loved one suffering from dementia looks like.
During a conversation with Diane Sawyer, she also gave a piece of her mind, saying that too often, she is being “judged quickly and unfairly by those who haven’t lived this journey or stood on the front lines of it.”
“Sharing openly may invite opinions, but more importantly, it creates connection and validation for those actually navigating the realities of caregiving every day,” she noted. “That’s who I share for and so I can build a deeper connection with a community that understands this journey.”
The Former Model’s New Memoir Aims To Help Families Of Dementia Sufferers
Emma gave a peek into her upcoming memoir, “The Unexpected Journey,” as she read an excerpt from it, which detailed her experience with a therapist who had advised her how “Nothing changes an opinion quite as powerfully as when you have an experience.”
“Even if someone is closely familiar with dementia or the condition you are caring for, they aren’t in your home, so they don’t know how your person is behaving or your family dynamics,” she said.
Emma continued, “The truth is that the opinions are so loud and they’re so noisy. But if they don’t have the experience of this, they don’t get a say, and they definitely don’t get a vote.”
Bruce Willis’ Family Is Looking On The Brighter Side
It appears that the actor’s family is intent on making the best out of the situation and not allowing it to weigh them down.
A second source who spoke to the Daily Mail noted that it is now “a massive undertaking” looking after him, but they do it with joy.
“Occasionally, there are flashes of who he used to be, whether it is a smile or a laugh or other gestures, and everyone appreciates having those moments,” the source continued.
“Now, when anyone is with him, they all enjoy their time together and don’t make it into a sad thing. They’ll dance, watch TV, and have dinner together. Everyone is making the best of it considering the circumstances,” they added.
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Bruce Willis’ wife Emma thanks Demi Moore for ‘beautiful’ words of support as he lives with dementia
Emma Heming Willis, the “Diehard” star’s second wife, has courted controversy for revealing that he lives with a 24-hour health team in a second home.
Emma Heming Willis gets by with a little help from her family.
The 47-year-old British-American model and author has assumed the rule of caretaker of her husband, Bruce Willis, amid his ongoing fight against frontotemporal dementia. After courting controversy last week for revealing she and Willis live separately to accommodate a 24-hour health team that aids the ailing actor, Heming Willis sat down for an interview on The Oprah Podcast, where she was greeted with a familiar face.
“We spoke to Demi Moore recently on this podcast and had the chance to ask her a few questions [about] the family’s experience,” host Oprah Winfrey told Heming Willis, before cutting to video of Willis’ first wife, who shared in a separate July interview, “I have so much compassion for Emma in this…. There’s no way that anybody could have anticipated where this was going to go, and I really think she’s done a masterful job.”
Nodding her head in thanks after the tape rolled, Heming Willis commented, “Beautiful.”
In her earlier conversation with Winfrey, the Oscar-nominated star of The Substance sympathized, “There is no roadmap for how to deal with this.” Moore revealed that even though “our family is very connected…so much fell on Emma to really figure this whole thing out.”
Moore continued, “The most important place for me is showing up and being present, just being present. Because if you project where it’s going, it only creates anxiety. If you replay where it was and what you’ve lost, it only creates anxiety and grief. So when you stay present, there is so much, and there’s still so much of him there. It may not always be verbal, but it is beautiful, given the givens.”
Heming Willis seconded Moore’s feeling: “She’s right. It’s about seeing there is beauty there, right? As hard as it is to lose someone that we love, we are able to tap into what is.”
Entertainment Weekly has reached out to representatives for Moore and Heming Willis for comment.
In an interview with ABC News correspondent Diane Sawyer last week, Heming Willis characterized her decision to currently live apart from Willis with their two daughters, Mabel and Evelyn, as “one of the hardest decisions that I’ve had to make.”
Amid some backlash to the decision and scrutiny of her motives, Heming Willis defended herself, noting in a video shared to her Instagram on Friday, “Everyone will have an opinion, but you have to remind yourself that most don’t have the experience to back it up… And if that’s the case, they shouldn’t offer their two cents about it, and you shouldn’t pay them any mind.”
Moore and Willis were married from 1987 to 2000, but remain close. Heming Willis, who married Willis in 2009, frequently joins the superstar actors’ three children — Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah — in sharing glimpses of the entire family gathering for celebrations, or just to spend time with Bruce.
“If you replay where it was and what you’ve lost, it only creates anxiety and and grief,” Moore added. “And so when you stay present, there is so much, and there’s still so much of him there. And it may not always be verbal, but it is beautiful, given the givens.”
Moore, who was married to Willis from 1987 through 2000, is still close with the Die Hard actor and has formed a close relationship with his current wife, Emma Heming Willis. While chatting with Winfrey, Moore praised Heming Willis for stepping up in the caregiver role.
“I have so much compassion for Emma in this, being a young woman. There’s no way that anybody could have anticipated where this was going to go,” Moore said. “And I really think she’s done a masterful job. She has been so dedicated to forging the right path. She’s had equal amounts of fear and strength and courage in navigating this. I think that this book is gonna really be very helpful for a lot of people who are walking through this.”
Heming Willis, who was the main guest on Winfrey’s latest podcast episode, has written a book meant to help caregivers, especially those who are caring for a loved one who has FTD. The Unexpected Journey is set to be released on Sept. 9.
Willis stepped back from acting in 2022 after more than 40 years in Hollywood. These days, he’s surrounded by loved ones as he lives life completely out of the spotlight.