BRUCE Willis’ daughter Rumer have given fans a rare update into the actor’s heartbreaking dementia battle.
The beloved star was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in February 2023 – just a year after he was forced to retire from acting after it was revealed he was struggling with aphasia.
4
The 35-year-old told the Today show “he’s so good”, and reflected on him spending time with her daughter Louetta.
She said: “They had some sweet moments during their last visit together, which was recently,
“Lou is just starting to walk a little bit, and she was walking over to him, and it was so sweet.
“He’s a girl dad, through and through. I saw him with my sisters, my little sisters. So you’re seeing that all come back again.”
Bruce has five daughters in total, Mabel and Evelyn from his current marriage to Emma, and three with his ex-wife Demi Moore, 60.
Demi and her ex share Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah, all of whom have now launched their own careers in acting.
She went on to say how much love the family has received over Bruce’s condition and revealed how important it was for them all to be open about it.
“If it can have any impact on another family that is struggling in any way with something like this, or bring more attention to the disease in hopes of finding a cure or anything that can be of service to anybody else, I think it’s really important,” she explained.
Doctors have said that patients with Bruce’s condition are usually mute within just two years of being diagnosed.
Dr Chris Winter, a neurologist, told DailyMail.com: “Usually, once symptoms start, it’s a pretty steady progression over the next few years.
What are the main symptoms of dementia?
Dementia symptoms vary depending on the cause. But common signs and symptoms include:
- memory loss.
- difficulty concentrating.
- finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks, such as getting confused over the correct change when shopping.
- struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word.
- being confused about time and place.
- mood changes
Source: NHS
“Generally speaking, when they’re diagnosed, there’s a five- to 10-year prognosis, but in terms of the disability, it’s in a few years, a lot of individuals are just not communicative.”
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is the most common form of dementia in people under 60 and symptoms include personality changes, obsessive behavioru, and speaking difficulties.
Aphasia is the inability to comprehend or formulate language due to damage to areas of the brain.
4
4