Bruce Willis doesn't completely know he's suffering from dementia?
What's the story
Hollywood actor Bruce Willis has been living a quiet life since his frontotemporal dementia (FTD) diagnosis in 2023. Now, his wife Emma Heming Willis has revealed that Willis is not fully aware of his condition. Speaking on the Conversations With Cam podcast, she said, "Bruce never tapped in... he never connected the dots that he had this disease."
Details
'It's not denial, it's just that their brain is changing'
Heming Willis explained a neurological condition called anosognosia, which is common in frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and other types of dementia. "Where people think this might be denial...they don't want to go to the doctor because they're like, 'I'm fine.'" "Actually, this is the anosognosia that comes into play," she said. "It's not denial. It's just that their brain is changing."
Family connection
'He is still very much present in his body'
Despite his condition, Heming Willis assured that the Die Hard actor still recognizes his family. "He is still very much present in his body." "When someone says to me, 'Does Bruce still know who you are?' Yes, he does because he doesn't have Alzheimer's; he has FTD." "He has a way of connecting with me, our children...it's just different. You just learn how to adapt." The couple shares two daughters, Mabel Ray Willis and Evelyn Penn Willis.
Health updates
Willis's health journey: From aphasia to frontotemporal dementia
Willis's family revealed his aphasia diagnosis in 2022, a language disorder affecting communication. A year later, they announced he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. In an interview with ABC News's Diane Sawyer last year, Heming Willis said, "Bruce is still very mobile. Bruce is in really great health overall... It's just his brain that is failing him."