Back in 2022, Bruce Willis’ family announced that he would no longer be acting due to his diagnosis with aphasia. Aphasia made it difficult for him to communicate, and it seemed as if that difficulty was only going to get worse. Yet, his family, including his ex-wife, Demi Moore, his current wife, Emma Heming Willis, and his children remained optimistic.

Now, in 2023, Willis’ family is sharing another update. They have new details about his diagnosis.

On his wife’s Instagram account, the family thanked fans and followers for “the incredible outpouring of love, support and wonderful stories we have all received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis.” Then, they explained that they have new information they wanted to share including “a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing.”

Willis’ updated diagnosis is frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Willis’ family explained, “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.”

On the website for The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, the Willis family shared more details about the diagnosis. They wrote, “For people under 60, FTD is the most common form of dementia.” There is currently no cure, but they hope that they can bring more attention to the disease and one day have treatment options that work by sharing Willis’ condition.

Willis’ family wrote, “Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others, and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately. We know in our hearts that – if he could today — he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connectedness with those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families.”

According to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, FTD not only impacts communication but can also cause “physical complications such as pneumonia, infection, or injury from a fall.” Life expectancy is 7 to 13 years after symptoms first occur, and the most common cause of death is pneumonia.

Do you think there will eventually be a cure for FTD?