Bruce Willis, who retired in spring 2022 for health reasons, has had his illness worsening and the actor now has a form of incurable dementia, according to a new medical diagnosis, his family said on Thursday.
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The 67-year-old actor initially suffered from aphasia, a speech disorder caused by brain damage. But as of last year, “Bruce’s disease has progressed and we now have a more accurate diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia,” his family said in a press release.
“Unfortunately, the communication difficulties are just a symptom of the illness Bruce is struggling with,” the family explained, saying they were “relieved to finally have a clear diagnosis.”
Frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) is a neurodegenerative disease related to Alzheimer’s disease. People with FTD may have memory problems, behavior changes, or difficulty speaking or moving.
“Today there is no cure for this disease, a reality that we hope will change in the years to come,” the family said.
“We hope the media will focus on bringing to light this disease, which requires much more awareness and research, as Bruce’s condition progresses,” his loved ones added.