Rumer Willis, the eldest daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, has said she is “so grateful” for the time she has with her father.
In 2023, it was announced that the 71-year-old actor, known for roles in Die Hard and The Sixth Sense, had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
Condition causes behaviour and language problems
The condition causes problems with behaviour and language, with symptoms including personality changes, slow speech, problems with mental abilities and memory problems, according to the NHS.
Rumer Willis, 38, said her father is “doing well” as she reflected on his health in an interview with People magazine.
The actress said: “The most important thing for me is that I’m so grateful that I have this time with him for however many years it may be.
“I’m grateful that he seems generally wonderful and, given all of the givens of our situation, that our family is just so loving and together.
“What’s been interesting having a family member with dementia, it’s like, he’s happy.
“As well as someone could be doing, given the circumstances, he’s doing well.”
Family reflects on Willis’s health
She added: “When I get to see him, he sees me and (my daughter) Louetta and he starts smiling.
“There’s so much love and joy and tenderness that still exists there. And in terms of that, I would say that’s a huge win.”
Bruce Willis has been married to Emma Heming Willis for 17 years, and they have two children together.
The model, who has spoken publicly about caring for her husband, said she is “grateful” her “husband is still very much here” in an ABC News special with Diane Sawyer last year.
Heming Willis added: “Bruce is still very mobile, Bruce is in really great health overall, it’s just his brain that is failing him.”
Diagnosis and career update
In March 2022, Rumer shared on Instagram that her father had been diagnosed with aphasia, a disorder that affects communication abilities.
She provided an update in 2023 explaining he had received a “more specific” diagnosis of FTD.
In the post about aphasia from 2022, Rumer also revealed her father would be “stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him”.
Rumer is the eldest daughter of Willis and Moore, who were married from 1987 to 2000.
Her father is a Hollywood star known for films such as Armageddon, The Fifth Element and 12 Monkeys, while her mother has appeared in blockbusters such as Ghost, A Few Good Men and Indecent Proposal.
