Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, his family has announced.
Relatives of the 67-year-old Hollywood actor previously said that he would be “stepping away” from his successful career after being diagnosed with aphasia, a condition affecting his cognitive abilities.
In a post shared on Instagram on Thursday, Willis’s daughter Rumer offered an update on her father’s health, confirming his condition has “progressed” and he had been given the “more specific” diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia.
Rumer, who Willis shares with his former partner, actress Demi Moore, wrote: “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.
“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).
“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.”
Frontotemporal dementia is an “uncommon” form of the disease that causes the sufferer problems with behaviour and language. –PA