Back in March, Hollywood legend Bruce Willis was tragically diagnosed with a rare brain condition called aphasia. Aphascia causes inability to understand and respond to verbal cues and communications. In response to the diagnosis and the limited time it likely means that he has left, Mr. Willis promptly retired from Hollywood to spend more time with his family.
Sadly, it seems that his condition has worseneed. His family announced that in a statement, as Fox News reported, saying:
Bruce Willis’ condition “has progressed” and the “Die Hard” actor has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, according to his family. The news comes after they previously revealed his aphasia diagnosis in 2022.
The 67-year-old actor’s ex-wife, Demi Moore, revealed his new health diagnosis on Instagram with a heartfelt post.
“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,” Moore 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.”
Frontotemporal dementia is characterized by unusual behavior, trouble walking and talking, communication problems and occasional emotional outbursts. It is a result of a previous brain injury and usually isn’t detected until years after the actual injury. there is currently no treatment available, making it even more difficult for Willis and his family. Fox 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.”
FTD is “the result of damage to neurons in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain,” according to the National Institute on Aging. “Many possible symptoms can result, including unusual behaviors, emotional problems, trouble communicating, difficulty with work, or difficulty with walking.”
“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. Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead,” the release said.
When Willis’ diagnosis was first announced, his daughter, Rumer, posted about it and how he was planning on responding to the diagnosis in an Instagram post. That post read in part:
“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.”
Willis is one of the best action stars of the past few decades, doing a great job of mixing funny lines with pulse-pounding scenes and stunningly real fights. It’s sad to see him step off center stage as his condition worsens.
By: Will Tanner. Follow me on Twitter @Will_Tanner_1
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