Bruce Willis’ Wife Shares Heartfelt Update on His Health After Dementia Diagnosis

Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Heming Willis, has shared a new update on the actor’s health following his diagnosis with frontotemporal dementia three years ago.

The 70-year-old star of Die Hard and Pulp Fiction retired from acting the same year he was diagnosed, with his final movie being 2023’s Assassin.

Speaking to ABC’s Diana Sawyer, a preview of which aired on Good Morning America on August 26, Heming Willis opened up about the challenges of communicating with Willis, who has aphasia, a condition that affects language.

The full interview, part of a special titled Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey, aired later that evening and is now available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu.

Heming Willis explained, “Bruce is still very mobile. Bruce is in really great health overall, you know. It’s just his brain that is failing him […] The language is going, and you know, we’ve learned to adapt. And we have a way of communicating with him, which is just a different, a different way.”

Heming Willis also reflected on the early signs she noticed before his official diagnosis, saying, “He was just a little more quiet, and when the family would get together, he would kind of just melt a little bit. […] He felt a little removed, very cold. Not like Bruce, who is very warm and affectionate. To go in the complete opposite of that was alarming and scary.”

Despite the challenges, she shared that glimpses of his old personality still appear. “He has such a hearty laugh. And, you know, sometimes you’ll see that twinkle in his eye or that spark, and, you know, I just get, like, transported. And it’s just hard because, as quickly as those moments appear, then it goes.”

The family first announced Willis’ diagnosis on February 16, 2023, noting that his condition had progressed and that “challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease.”

According to neurologist Gregg Day from the Mayo Clinic’s Florida campus, frontotemporal dementia can cause difficulties with language, comprehension, and understanding instructions. The family expressed hope that sharing Willis’ story would help raise awareness about the disease.

Emma Heming Willis’ memoir, The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope and Yourself on the Caregiving Path, which details her experience caring for Willis, is set to be published on September 9, 2025.

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