Since Bruce Willis’ Frontotemporal Dementia diagnosis earlier this year, the actor has appeared less frequently in public, always surrounded by family or in a vehicle. This time, the Die Hard star was spotted walking the streets of Santa Monica on a Monday morning.
Bruce appeared comfy in a plaid shirt, a quilted jacket, gray track bottoms with a matching New York baseball cap, and laceless sneakers. He also seemed to be in high spirits and reportedly gave thumbs up to passers-by.
Updates on Bruce’s health
Bruce Willis flashes peace sign in rare outing amid dementia diagnosis.https://t.co/NautzGynt1 pic.twitter.com/2c71lMCS3V
— Mirror Celeb (@MirrorCeleb) December 17, 2023
Bruce’s family often provides fans with updates about his health, and a source claimed that ex-wife Demi Moore and current wife Emma Hemming Willis have been spending more time with him along with the kids. “This experience has brought the whole family even closer together…they’re soaking up every moment they get with him,” the insider told US Weekly. “Bruce has around-the-clock care, but at least one family member is always with him.”
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His former co-worker, Glenn Gordon Caron (creator of Moonlighting), also mentioned that Bruce is “not totally verbal” and has lost his former flair for reading. “He used to be a voracious reader, he didn’t want anyone to know that and he’s not reading now,” Glenn said. “All those language skills are no longer available to him, and yet he’s still Bruce.”
Bruce’s daughter speaks out
Bruce’s daughter, Tallulah — whom he shares with Demi — appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show in November to speak about how his illness has affected their relationship. “He is the same, which I think in this regard I’ve learned is the best thing you can ask for. I see love when I’m with him, and it’s my dad, and he loves me, which is really special,” she said.
She also emphasized the importance of being open about Bruce’s condition, which she called an “aggressive cognitive disease.” “If we can take something that we’re struggling with as a family to help other people, to turn it around to make something beautiful about it, that’s really special for us,” she said, echoing Emma Hemming’s remark about holding “more space for what others might be going through.”