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‘Die Hard’ Star Bruce Willis “Lost His Language Skills And Joie De Vivre” Amid His Battle With Dementia
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‘Die Hard’ Star Bruce Willis “Lost His Language Skills And Joie De Vivre” Amid His Battle With Dementia

'Die Hard' Star Bruce Willis “Lost His Language Skills And Joie De Vivre” Amid His Battle With DementiaBruce Willis “Lost His Language Skills And Joie De Vivre” Amidst Tragic Dementia DiagnosisBruce Willis “Is Still Bruce” Despite Losing His “Joie De Vivre”, Moonlighting Creator Reveals'Die Hard' Star Bruce Willis Is “Not Totally Verbal” Amid His Battle With DementiaBruce Willis “Sees Life Through A Screen Door” Amidst Tragic Dementia DiagnosisClose Friend Reveals Bruce Willis Is “Not Totally Verbal” After Dementia DiagnosisDementia Stole Bruce Willis' Joie De Vivre, Moonlighting Creator Says'Die Hard' Star Bruce Willis “Lost His Language Skills And Joie De Vivre” Amid His Battle With Dementia'Die Hard' Star Bruce Willis “Lost His Language Skills And Joie De Vivre” Amid His Battle With Dementia
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If there is one thing in this world that doesn’t discriminate, that can affect all people from all walks of life: it’s sickness.

Sometimes, our favorite celebrities too can fall ill with not a single miracle remedy available to save them.

This week, heartbreaking news of Bruce Willis’ health emerged, amidst a decline in his dementia condition.

RELATED:

    The Moonlighting creator revealed that Bruce Willis’ speech has worsened due to his dementia

    Image credits: emmahemingwillis

    Last year, the 68-year-old actor, best known for his roles in Die Hard, Pulp Fiction, and many other films and TV shows, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (sometimes called FTD), his daughter shared on Instagram.

    The father-of-three had reportedly been suffering from aphasia, a speech-impeding neurological condition, since 2022, prompting him to retire from acting.

    Moonlighting is the sitcom which has propelled Bruce into stardom

    Image credits: Hollywood Pictures

    In May, Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Heming Willis, gave an update about his ongoing health battles.

    After viewing the documentary Little Empty Boxes about filmmaker Max Lugavere’s mother’s battle with dementia, she posted on Instagram that she knew “options were slim” for treating the condition.

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    More recently, Glenn Gordon Caron, who created the sitcom Moonlighting which propelled Bruce to stardom, unveiled his own experiences when he paid the actor a visit.

    Bruce is best known for his roles in Die Hard and Pulp Fiction

    Image credits: 20th Century-Fox

    Glenn is still good friends with Bruce and discussed Moonlighting’s recent streaming availability on Hulu with the Germany-born star.

    In a candid interview with The New York post on Wednesday (October 11), Glenn said: “I know he’s really happy that the show is going to be available for people, even though he can’t tell me that.

    Glenn Gordon Caron, the creator of Moonlighting and a good friend of Bruce, kept him updated on the process of getting the sitcom on Hulu

    Image credits: emmahemingwillis

    “When I got to spend time with him we talked about it and I know he’s excited.”

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    The 69-year-old screenwriter went on to explain how the process of getting the comedy-drama television series on the streaming service had been a rather lengthy one.

    However, as Bruce’s disease is a progressive one, Glenn had been able to communicate the development with him, “before the disease rendered him as incommunicative as he is now”.

    Bruce’s wife, Emma Heming Willis, has updated fans about his ongoing health battles

    Image credits: emmahemingwillis

    Glenn continued: “I’m not always quite that good, but I try and I do talk to him and his wife and I have a casual relationship with his three older children.

    “I have tried very hard to stay in his life. He’s an extraordinary person.

    “We are so proud of him,” Emma wrote on Instagram

    Image credits: emmahemingwillis

    “The thing that makes [his disease] so mind-blowing is [that] if you’ve ever spent time with Bruce Willis, there is no one who had any more joie de vivre than he.

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    “He loved life and … just adored waking up every morning and trying to live life to its fullest.”

    The producer added: “So the idea that he now sees life through a screen door, if you will, makes very little sense.

    According to Glenn, Bruce has lost his “joie de vivre” that he was known for

    Image credits: emmahemingwillis

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    “He’s really an amazing guy.”

    Glenn also confessed that he did not believe Bruce recognized him when he would come to visit him.

    “He loved life and … just adored waking up every morning,” Glenn said of Bruce

    Image credits: emmahemingwillis

    “My sense is the first one to three minutes he knows who I am,” he said.

    He continued: “He’s not totally verbal; he used to be a voracious reader — he didn’t want anyone to know that — and he’s not reading now.

    “All those language skills are no longer available to him, and yet he’s still Bruce.

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    Glenn also confessed that he did not believe Bruce fully recognized him

    Image credits: emmahemingwillis

    “When you’re with him you know that he’s Bruce and you’re grateful that he’s there, but the joie de vivre is gone.”

    Meanwhile, Emma regularly uses her Instagram page to advocate for the awareness of frontotemporal dementia.

    Bruce was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2022

    Image credits: emmahemingwillis

    Just last week, Bruce’s wife wrote to her 874,000 followers “how important it is for us care partners to make time for ourselves.”

    Emma also occasionally posts updates of her husband, as she recently wrote in a post dedicated to Die Hard’s 35th anniversary.

    “What Bruce has been able to accomplish in his career will never be lost on us. We are so proud of him,” she wrote.

    The father-of-three suffers from aphasia, a speech-impeding neurological condition

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    Image credits: emmahemingwillis

    “I have tried very hard to stay in his life,” Glenn admitted

    Currently, there are no treatments to slow or stop the progression of FTD, the AFTD reports. However, research is advancing, and initial clinical trials are underway.

    According to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD), FTD affects an estimated 50,000-60,000 Americans and represents an estimated 10%-20% of all dementia cases.

    Heartbroken fans expressed their kindness and love to the Die Hard legend and his family

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    Andréa Oldereide

    Andréa Oldereide

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

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    I’m a journalist who works as Bored Panda’s News Team's Senior Writer. The news team produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”. You've got a tip? email me: andrea.o@boredpanda.com

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    Andréa Oldereide

    Andréa Oldereide

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    I’m a journalist who works as Bored Panda’s News Team's Senior Writer. The news team produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”. You've got a tip? email me: andrea.o@boredpanda.com

    Ilona Baliūnaitė

    Ilona Baliūnaitė

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    I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

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    Ilona Baliūnaitė

    Ilona Baliūnaitė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

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    Catlady6000
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is the kind of celebrity news that matters. Not the trainwrecks. This, while heartbreaking, is like an update on a beloved friend or family member. If BP is going the route of Celebrity News, at least keep it meaningful

    Load More Comments
    Catlady6000
    Community Member
    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is the kind of celebrity news that matters. Not the trainwrecks. This, while heartbreaking, is like an update on a beloved friend or family member. If BP is going the route of Celebrity News, at least keep it meaningful

    Load More Comments
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