Bruce Willis' Condition Worsens as Family Shares 'Cruel' Diagnosis

The 67-year-old's poor health forced him to retire earlier than planned as his body couldn't withstand the rigors of being on set, nor could his memory retain lines for long. Unfortunately, the family didn't get the silver lining they expected after visiting the hospital for a routine checkup.

In a statement released via The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, the Die Hard star's family revealed that he has frontotemporal dementia (FTD.) Although the diagnosis broke their heart, the Willis clan is grateful for clarity as it lets them know what to expect with Willis.

Immediately the family got the first Aphasia diagnosis, Willis' children, wife, Emma Heming, and ex-wife, Demi Moore rallied around him. They released a statement on Instagram saying,

The AFTD Statement started with the family thanking fans for their long-standing support in the last ten months. They also highlighted the monetary aid they received from family and friends, saying it showed the donors loved Willis as much as they did.

The primary symptom of FTD is degenerative communication skills and sometimes a complete loss. Before receiving the FTD diagnosis, Willis had already exhibited symptoms of the illness, which presented as Aphasia. He gradually lost his cognitive and locomotive skills causing directors to drop him from lined-up productions until Willis forcefully retired.

Unfortunately, there's no cure for FTD despite it being the leading type of Dementia in seniors below 60. The family asked the media to use Willis' case to shed light on the disease rather than focus on his deteriorating health.

Shedding light on FTD would please Willis because his mission has always been to spread joy worldwide. He did that with his movies in the late 1980s, starting with the Die Hard franchise.

In 1985, Willis joined the television series Moonlighting and became a famous comedic actor of his era. Within the show's five seasons, the actor won a Golden Globe and Emmy Award for Best Actor.

By 1988, Willis adopted the persona of John McClane in what would become a cult-classic action movie, Die Hard. He went on to star in four iterations of the franchise, including Die Hard 2 (1990), Die Hard with Vengeance (1995) and Die Hard 4 (2008).

In 1994, Willis starred in the award-wining movie by Quentin Tarantino movie, Pulp Fiction, and in 1999, he featured in The Sixth Sense by M. Night Shyamalan. Both movies cemented Willis as an action movie star.

At the beginning of the 2020s, Willis' career went downward as he became a regular in independent movies sparking concerns for his health. It wasn't until two years later that his family confirmed his degenerative illness.

Dementia is a degenerative illness that often affects the brain and manifests differently. The most common result is a long-term impact on memory, thinking, and language, all symptoms of Alzheimer's and its likes.

FTD occurs when toxic proteins pool in the brain's frontal (forehead) and temporal (ears) lobes causing the brain cells a slow but sure death.

According to BBC, on average, people diagnosed with FTD live for eight to ten years post-diagnosis before death. Some people die earlier, while others survive longer than the doctors' posit.

Willis' colleagues also share their condolences and sympathize with his family as the actor endures this tumultuous time.

Maria Shriver thanked the Willis family for revealing Bruce's condition as it gave others the courage to face their struggles.

Fans remember the actor as a jovial comedian rather than a sickly retiree. Watch a video of him on Comedy Central above.

Regular Twitter users also share their struggles with FTD like one Trixie Beresford who said it's genetic and hard to diagnose.

Fans fear that the next update form the family won't be pleasing as there hasn't been good news from the Willis family since the Aphasia revelation.

Stay posted for updates.