Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, his wife Emma Heming Willis revealed in a candid Instagram post on Thursday.
Heming Willis, 44, posted an image of her husband on the photo-sharing app, revealing that his condition has deteriorated since his aphasia diagnosis was revealed last year.
"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," Heming Willis wrote. "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)," she continued. "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."
"Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others, and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately," she said. "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."
"Bruce has always found joy in life – and has helped everyone he knows to do the same," Heming Willis concluded. "It has meant the world to see that sense of care echoed back to him and to all of us. We have been so moved by the love you have all shared for our dear husband, father, and friend during this difficult time. Your continued compassion, understanding, and respect will enable us to help Bruce live as full a life as possible."
The 67-year-old Die Hard alum's family made news of his aphasia diagnosis public in March 2022, captioning a picture of the actor: "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."
"As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him," they continued, going on to say that it "is a really challenging time" for them all, "and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support."
"We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him. As Bruce always says, 'Live it up' and together we plan to do just that," the post concluded, before signing off with the following names: Emma, Demi, Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn.
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