Bruce Willis's mom Marlene 'not sure if her son still recognizes her' as 'aggressiveness' creeps in
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Following a family announcement in March 2022 that Bruce Willis would retire from acting due to his aphasia diagnosis, his condition has now advanced to untreatable dementia. His family recently announced that Willis, star of iconic ‘Die Hard’, has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, a disorder that impairs cognitive function.
Amid the recent health deterioration, it was reported tht Marlene Willis, the actor's mother, believes the star no longer recognizes her. The famous actor's mother expressed how heart-wrenching it has been to watch her son's health worsen and how challenging it is for the family to communicate with him. "She is not sure if her son still recognizes her," explained Wilfried Gliem, Willis' mother's cousin, in an interview with BILD.
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"His behavior is very slow, there is always a slight aggressiveness and it is no longer possible to have a normal conversation with him. Although this behavior is usual in his clinical condition," she added, Marca reported.
Retirement from acting career at 67
As far as it is known, Bruce Willis did not make any statement of his own. It was his family, Demi Moore, his ex-wife, and present wife, Emma Heming, who made the news public. They revealed that Willis experienced difficulty in speaking, making up sentences, and using words that are unfamiliar, owing to the symptoms of this disease. Hence, continuing his acting career would have made his work quite challenging.
Willis' family opens up about grief
In March 30, 2022, following an aphasia diagnosis, Willis' family members, including Moore, published a statement to make the end of his acting career public. Almost a year later on February 18, 2023, Willis’ family took to Instagram to write a moving post on his condition stating, “Our family wanted to start by expressing our deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support and wonderful stories we have all received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis. In the spirit of that, we wanted to give you an update about our beloved husband, father and friend since we now have a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing."
They added, "Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD). Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis."
Willis will remain a legendary star
Following Willis' health update, friends and family have urged more knowledge of and attention to frontotemporal dementia. The family stated that if Bruce were still in himself, he would want to increase global awareness and connectivity of the medical condition. As fans may know, the legendary star has always been a proponent of using his platform to advocate for others and bring attention to pressing issues in both public and private.
Even if Willis had to stop performing because of his deteriorating condition, his legacy would live on. In view of the situation, Willis' wives—current wife Emma Heming, ex-wife Demi Moore, and three of his five daughters—Tallulah, Rumer, Scout, and Scout—all expressed their dejection at the difficult time the 67-year-old actor is going through. It is best to say, ‘may the force be with you, Willis’.