One Way Bruce Willis' Dementia Battle Is Allegedly Having A Positive Effect On His Family

Bruce Willis in Detective Knight: Independence
(Image credit: Lionsgate)

Actor Bruce Willis has a long resume filled with beloved projects like Die Hard, The Sixth Sense, and more. So when it was revealed that Willis was retiring due to health issues, eventually being diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. The 68 year-old actor has been surrounded by loved ones during this time, who occasionally update the public on how he’s feeling. Although there’s reportedly one way that Willis’ dementia battle is allegedly having a positive affect on his family. Let’s break it all down.

The actor’s generations of fans remain invested in Bruce Willis’ journey, with wife Emma Hemming Willis occasionally updating the public about his health. It’s no doubt been a hard time for the entire family, but they’ve been a united front taking care of the Death Becomes Her star. An insider who is reportedly close to the Willis clan spoke to Us Magazine, and offered a silver lining to this health crisis: it’s bringing the family together. In their words:

Bruce has good days and bad days, but in the last two months, there are many more bad days than good. This experience has brought the whole family even closer together. No one knows how much time Bruce has left, so they’re soaking up every moment they get with him.

There you have it. Because of the unpredictable nature of Willis’ degenerative disease, the timeline about his health is unclear. So his loved ones are spending a ton of time with him, and are cherishing any good days that occur. And as such, they've all gotten closer. Talk about finding the positive during this challenging time.

It’s been pretty outstanding seeing how the Willis family has rallied around the Die Hard icon, including making their feelings known to the public. Tallulah Willis revealed that they wanted to raise awareness for frontotemporal dementia, while also taking good care of the patriarch of the family. Later in that same story by Us, the same unnamed source spoke about how the family rallied around Bruce Willis, claiming:

Once Bruce was diagnosed, everyone came together to keep his memory of the family intact and to be there as a constant reminder [that they] love him. [Everything] revolves around him. Bruce has around-the-clock care, but at least one family member is always with him.

How sweet is that? While obviously Willis’ estate has the resources to take care of him medically, the family seemingly isn’t leaving his side for a second. There’s clearly a ton of love shared, and it’s an inspiring story for other families who are facing the struggles of dementia. 

The special care being given to Willis was obvious when his wife Emma begged paparazzi to stop calling his name when they stepped out into public. This presumably only confused the actor, and the family wants to keep him safe and happy for as long as possible. 

Aside from following his health journey, Bruce Willis fans were delighted when his series Moonlighting finally became available to stream. Many fans have been re-watching his work since his retirement, appreciating the talent he brought to the small and silver screens for years. 

Bruce Willlis’ final projects have officially been released, and fans can now enjoy his full body of work. Be sure to check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.