His career changed significantly in 2022, when his family announced that he was stepping away from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that can affect language and communication.
In February 2023, his family announced that his condition had progressed and that doctors had given him a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia, commonly known as FTD. The family statement was signed by Emma Heming Willis, Demi Moore and Bruce’s five daughters.
Since then, his family has increasingly tried to explain what life looks like away from the Hollywood spotlight.
Rather than focusing only on the actor audiences remember from his films, they have emphasized the person behind the public image: a father, husband and family member whose daily life has changed dramatically.
Rumer Willis Has Spoken Honestly About Her Father
Rumer Willis, Bruce’s oldest daughter with Demi Moore, has offered some of the most personal reflections about her father’s condition.
In 2026, she discussed the complicated emotions that come with watching someone you love change because of dementia. She explained that she misses a version of her father who is no longer the same as before, while also trying to remain present with the father she has today.
