3 years after diagnosis

Demi Moore: How Bruce Willis is really doing now

Almost three years after announcing his aphasia diagnosis and later confirming frontotemporal dementia (FTD), Demi Moore spoke just before Christmas about how her ex-husband Bruce Willis is doing at the moment. 

"Given the circumstances, he's in a very stable condition right now," Moore said in an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour.

"Wouldn't wish it on anyone"
The actress emphasized the importance of meeting people with dementia at eye level: "It's so important for anyone dealing with it to meet him where he is. From that point, there is so much love and joy." Despite the challenges, Moore emphasized the emotional depth that this time also brings: "It's obviously very difficult, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. It's a great loss, but there's also great beauty and gifts that can come out of it."

Close-knit patchwork family 
Bruce Willis, known from blockbusters such as "Die Hard", has five daughters: Rumer, Scout and Tallulah from his marriage to Demi Moore as well as the still underage Mabel and Evelyn with his second wife, Emma Heming Willis. Daughter Rumer has also already given him his first grandchild, Louetta Isley Thomas Willis. The entire patchwork family is closely connected and is supporting the actor during this difficult time.

In March 2022, his family made it public that Willis suffers from aphasia and has ended his film career due to illness.

Speech disorders and dementia
Aphasia is a speech disorder, for example in speaking, understanding, writing or reading, which can occur as a result of various illnesses. Last February, his relatives announced that the actor had received a more precise diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). In this disease, nerve cells are first broken down in the frontal and temporal areas of the brain (fronto-temporal lobe). According to the German Alzheimer's Society, this is initially noticeable in many sufferers as they appear apathetic and irritable. Later on, memory is impaired