Tallulah Willis Gives Update About Her Father’s Dementia Diagnosis

Following Bruce Willis’s recent diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia, one of his daughters, Tallulah, recently confessed that her dad’s ailment had been a long way coming even though the family couldn’t name what was wrong for a time.

“I’ve known that something was wrong for a long time, it started out with a kind of vague unresponsiveness, which the family chalked up to Hollywood hearing loss: ‘Speak up! Die Hard messed with Dad’s ears,’” she admitted. “Later, that unresponsiveness broadened, and I sometimes took it personally. He had had two babies with my stepmother, Emma Heming Willis, and I thought he’d lost interest in me.”

Tallulah Willis said that her dad still recognizes her despite his dementia diagnosis

The actress is happy that despite the peculiarity of her dad’s condition, he still recognizes her. “He still knows who I am and lights up when I enter the room,” Tallulah explained. “I keep flipping between the present and the past when I talk about Bruce: he is, he was, he is, he was. That’s because I have hopes for my father that I’m so reluctant to let go of.”

RELATED: Bruce Willis’ Wife On Most ‘Thoughtful Thing’ Their Daughter Has Done For Him Amid Dementia Battle

Also, Tallulah shared that she has been actively capturing numerous photos of her father’s house and taking a closer look at the intricate details within his home. “I have every voicemail from him saved on a hard drive,” she confessed.”I find that I’m trying to document, to build a record for the day when he isn’t there to remind me of him and of us.”

Tallulah Willis claims it was hard accepting her dad’s diagnosis

In a candid reflection, Willis openly admitted that she initially responded to her father’s health decline with a combination of avoidance and denial, which was influenced by her own personal struggles. However, following her journey of healing, including receiving treatment for her eating disorder and being diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, she found herself better equipped to confront the reality of her father’s condition.​

”Recovery is probably lifelong, but I now have the tools to be present in all facets of my life, and especially in my relationship with my dad,” Tallulah explained.“I can bring him an energy that’s bright and sunny, no matter where I’ve been,” she continued. “In the past, I was so afraid of being destroyed by sadness, but finally, I feel that I can show up and be relied upon. I can savor that time, hold my dad’s hand, and feel that it’s wonderful.”