Emma Heming Willis, the wife of Hollywood star Bruce Willis, has spoken publicly about the early signs of his frontotemporal dementia (FTD) that she initially overlooked. In an appearance on The Bosstick podcast, she revealed that the first noticeable change was a return of a stutter in his speech.
Willis, 69, retired from acting in 2022 after being diagnosed with aphasia, which later progressed to FTD in 2023. Emma explained that FTD is often misdiagnosed as bipolar disorder or a midlife crisis, and that a correct diagnosis can take three to seven years, delaying access to clinical trials.
She clarified a common misconception about her husband's condition: FTD does not primarily affect memory. “When people say, ‘Does he remember who you are?’ Well, he does because he doesn’t have Alzheimer’s; he has FTD,” she said. The variant Bruce has impacts language, while other variants affect behaviour or movement.
In a previous interview, Emma shared that Bruce is unaware of his diagnosis due to a condition called anosognosia, where the brain cannot recognise its own deficits. “Bruce never tapped in, he never connected the dots that he has this disease,” she said, adding that this is both a blessing and a curse.
According to the NHS, FTD typically develops between ages 45 and 65 and worsens gradually over several years. The Willis family continues to raise awareness about the condition.
