In 2023, Bruce Willis’ family announced that Bruce had received a more specific diagnosis after his aphasia diagnosis. Bruce, 70, is living with frontotemporal dementia, or FTD, but he’s not aware that he’s struggling with this disorder. During a recent interview with NewsNation, his wife, Emma Heming Willis said it’s both “a blessing and a curse” that Bruce doesn’t realize he has FTD.
“I am grateful that Bruce never tapped into the idea that he had FTD,” Emma said. “If Bruce had said, ‘Emma, I think something’s wrong with me. I’m scared,’ that would have been really distressing.” At the same time, Emma has spoken about how difficult it was for her when she learned of Bruce’s diagnosis.
When Bruce first started experiencing symptoms, Emma had no idea they were symptoms of FTD. She has said that at first she thought they were just experiencing marital problems. When speaking to NewsNation, Emma explained that Bruce “had a severe stutter when he was a child.” One of the first changes she observed in him was his stutter coming back. “Never in my wildest dreams would I think that was now becoming a symptom of FTD,” she shared.
Previously, Emma told People that she felt extremely alone when she learned of her husband’s diagnosis. “I had pins and needles going through my body,” she recalled. “My ears were wafting.” Though it’s entirely possible that the neurologist provided her with lots of information, all she could hear during that moment was, “Check back in and here’s a pamphlet.”
She said, “I was grateful to get to a diagnosis, but there is no cure for this disease, and being sent on our way with no support, no nothing was really traumatic.”
During her interview with NewsNation, Emma explained that Bruce is not in “denial.” He truly isn’t aware that he has FTD. “The person doesn’t realize that they are experiencing a decline in their health,” she explained. So it’s not denial; this is just a part of the disease. So, it’s a blessing and a curse.”
She also clarified that while Bruce doesn’t realize he has FTD, he does recognize his loved ones because “FTD isn’t Alzheimer’s.” Per Mayo Clinic, FTD symptoms vary but can include behavioral and personality changes (like inappropriate social behavior) and changes in language ability. “Bruce doesn’t have Alzheimer’s. So he does know who we are,” Emma said. She also said Bruce “communicates, it’s just in a different way that we have learned to adapt to.”
She explained, “We don’t need words. We have a very deep connection, and we have learned to sort of meet him where he’s at and just be supportive and be able to just love him.”
