Bruce Willis’ health began declining in 2022 when he was initially diagnosed with aphasia, before his family then went public with his frontotemporal dementia (FTD) diagnosis in February 2023.
Shortly after his initial diagnosis, Bruce stepped away from acting.
It has been a long road for the Die Hard actor and his family. Fans have closely watched his journey thanks to his wife Emma frequently sharing updates on Bruce’s health and how their children are coping.
Bruce’s children adjust
Emma – who Bruce wed in March 2009 – has confessed their children, Mable and Evelyn, have begun grieving their father. While speaking with Vogue Australia in October 2025, Emma provided insight into the toll the disease has taken on their children.
“I think they’re doing well, all things considered. But it’s hard,” she said. “They grieve. They miss their dad so much. He’s missing important milestones. That’s tough for them.”
“But kids are resilient. [Although] I used to hate hearing that because people didn’t understand what we were walking through.
“I don’t know if my kids will ever bounce back. But they’re learning, and so am I.”
While their young daughters are educated on FTD, Emma has confessed they haven’t asked about his passing.
“I think that if they are to ask, I will tell them,” Emma told USA Today. “But I think that they’re more focused on the present day, that is where their questioning is mostly, but if it’s asked, I will always be honest and truthful.”
Bruce moves into a care home
As his condition progressed, Emma made the difficult decision to move Bruce into a second home, with his littlest children Mable and Evelyn visiting regularly.
Emma confirmed her decision to move Bruce into 24-hour care in August 2025 while speaking in Emma and Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey – A Diane Sawyer Special.
“Bruce would want that for our daughters,” she explained. “He would want them to be in a home that was more tailored to their needs, not his needs.”
The children and Bruce have lived separately for some time now, given Bruce can become agitated by noise.
It was also a space where the blended family could come together, given Bruce has three other daughters Rumer, Scout and Tallulah who he shares with ex-wife Demi Moore.
Emma recalls the ‘old’ Bruce
The former model previously shared that Bruce remains “very mobile,” but his speech was beginning to dissipate. Yet, there are still small moments where the ‘old’ Bruce reappears.
“It’s his laugh right? He has such a hearty laugh and sometimes you will see that twinkle in his eye or that smirk,” she told Us Today in August 2025. “I just get transported. It’s just hard to see it because as quickly as those moments appear then it goes… But I am grateful that my husband is still very much here.”
Demi Moore shares advice to her children
It has been very difficult for the family to watch the once “warm and affectionate” version of Bruce fade away. Ex-wife, Demi Moore – who was married to Bruce from 1987 to 2000 – shared the same sentiment, revealing her own experience in a recent interview with Oprah Winfrey.
“It’s difficult. It’s hard to see somebody who was so vibrant and strong and so directed shift into this other parts of them-self,” she said on Oprah’s podcast.”
But Demi has previously shared an important piece of advice to her children.
“What I always encourage is to just meet them where they’re at. When you’re holding on to what was, I think it’s a losing game,” she shared at the 2024 Hamptons International Film Festival in October. “But when you show up to meet them where they’re at, there is great beauty and sweetness.”
Aside from Tallulah, Bruce’s children have spoken little about their father’s health struggles.
Tallulah wrote a piece for Vogue in May 2023 revealing that she sensed something was off with her father’s behaviour.
“I’ve known that something was wrong for a long time. It started out with a kind of vague unresponsiveness… 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,” she wrote.
She later appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show, highlighting the importance of spreading awareness on FTD.
“There’s not enough information out there,” she said. “The bigger version of what I’m trying to do [is] if we can take something that we’re struggling with as a family, and individually, and help other people to turn it around, to make something beautiful about it, that’s really special for us.”
Bruce Willis’ FTD diagnosis statement:
“Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia… FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone,” the statement from Bruce’s wife Emma, ex-wife Demi and daughters Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn read.
“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. As Bruce’s condition advances, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs far more awareness and research,” it continued.
“Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others, and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately. 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.”
What are the first signs of frontotemporal dementia?
The symptoms of FTD vary from person to person. However, these are the most common ones. These symptoms usually start gradually and then progress steadily:
- Personality and behavioural changes
- Impaired judgement
- Less frequent speech
- Inability to understand or use language
- Apathy and/or a lack of empathy
- Decreased self-awareness
- Emotional withdrawal from others
- Loss of motivation and energy
- Frequent mood changes
- Increasing dependence
- Trouble planning and/or organising
Some patients also experience physical symptoms, like tremors, muscle spasms or weakness, rigidity, poor coordination and/or balance, or difficulty swallowing.
What is the life expectancy of someone with frontotemporal dementia?
The life expectancy of an FTD patient is, on average, 7 to 13 years after the start of symptoms. Currently, no treatments are available to cure or slow the progression of FTD.
What is the difference between aphasia and dementia?
Aphasia affects a person’s ability to communicate. Patients tend to have difficulty reading, writing, speaking and understanding the words of others.
Dementia is a much broader condition and can affect patients’ memory, personality and behaviour. Frontotemporal dementia affects those things as well as language skills.
What is the difference between Alzheimer’s and frontotemporal dementia?
Alzheimer’s is the most commonly diagnosed form of dementia in older adults. It usually begins with memory loss, while FTD is typically a behaviour or language disorder.
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