New Delhi: Actor Bruce Willis’ family in February revealed that the actor has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. In March last year, it was announced that the 67-year-old actor had been diagnosed with aphasia and will retire from acting. He was recently spotted grabbing coffee with friends in Santa Monica. Now the actor’s wife, Emma Heming Willis, has now requested the paparazzi to stop yelling at her husband, and let him move at his own pace.
Emma posted a video on Instagram talking about his latest outing and how photographers tried to talk to him. She captioned the post: "To other caregivers or dementia care specialist navigating this world…. Any tips or advice on how to get your loved ones out in the world safely? Please share below (red hearts emoticon) #ftdawareness #dementiaawareness #caregivingtips #buildingcommunity)
She said, “If you are someone who is looking after someone with dementia, you know how difficult and stressful it can be to get someone out into the world and to navigate them safely, even just to get a cup of coffee. It’s clear that there’s still a lot of education that needs to be put worth. So this one is going out to the photographers and video people that are trying to get those exclusives of my husband out and about. Just keep your space.”
“I know this is your job, but maybe just keep your space. Please don’t be yelling at my husband, asking how he’s doing, whatever. The woo-hooing and the yippee-ki-yay’s — just don’t do it. Give him the space. Allow for our family or whoever’s with him that day to be able to get him from Point A to Point B safely. That’s my PSA,” she further said.
On February 17, the actor’s family had issued a statement about Willis' latest diagnosis.
“Since we announced Bruce's diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce's condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD). 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," his family wrote in a statement on the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration's website.
Frontotemporal dementia, which is often diagnosed at a younger age than other forms of dementia, is characterised by personality changes, speech difficulty and motor impairment. It's the cause of 10 per cent to 20 per cent of all dementia diagnoses, according to the Mayo Clinic.