Bruce Willis terminally ill: First public appearance after dementia diagnosis
Los Angeles - For the first time in almost two years, Bruce Willis (69) has appeared in public again. The star , who suffers from dementia , took the opportunity to thank the emergency services for their tireless efforts against the fires in Los Angeles .
It's moments like these that give Bruce Willis and his family strength.
After the "Die Hard" star made it public in February 2023 that he was suffering from incurable dementia , Bruce Willis retired from Hollywood. The now 69-year-old will probably never appear in front of the camera again and has avoided public appearances ever since. His illness (frontotemporal dementia) is progressing relentlessly .
Now Willis' wife Emma Heming Willis (46) has surprisingly shared a video on Instagram showing the Hollywood veteran talking to emergency services on the outskirts of the devastating Los Angeles fires . A visibly grateful Bruce Willis shakes hands with a police officer and talks to the man.
"When he sees a first responder, Bruce never misses an opportunity to show his gratitude with a hearty handshake and a 'thank you for your service'. Yesterday was no different," Willis' wife wrote under her post from Thursday.
The black-and-white clip is accompanied by the melody "Going to California" by Led Zeppelin. Bruce Willis is casually wearing a dark baseball cap and a light-colored corduroy jacket. It looks as if he is with himself.
Instagram: Here Bruce Willis thanks the Los Angeles emergency services
Hollywood star suffers from frontotemporal dementia
Since Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), there has been little information about the star's health. At the end of 2023, Bruce Willis' daughter Tallulah Willis (30) gave a rare update, speaking on Hollywood icon Drew Barrymore's (49) TV show about an "aggressive cognitive disease" that is progressing rapidly.
According to the German Alzheimer's Society, people with FTD usually suffer from speech disorders, changes in personality and interpersonal behavior. Memory loss only occurs as the disease progresses. This rare dementia typically occurs between the ages of 50 and 60.
Bruce Willis was married to fellow actress Demi Moore (62) from 1987 to 2000 and has three daughters with her. Since 2009, he has been married to British model Emma Heming, with whom he has two other daughters. Bruce Willis has appeared in over 130 films. His last appearance in front of the big camera was in the science fiction film "Assassin".