In 2022, Bruce Willis’ family revealed that he had been diagnosed with aphasia. Just a year later, the actor’s condition had progressed, leading to a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia. Since then, Bruce’s wife, Emma Heming Willis, has shared various throwback photos of her husband. This time around, she chose to share something more recent: a video of Bruce interacting with first responders in Los Angeles, marking his first public appearance since his family shared his diagnosis publicly.
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In the video, Bruce greeted a first responder in Los Angeles by shaking their hand. “Spotting a first responder, Bruce never missed a chance to show his gratitude with a heartfelt handshake and a ‘thank you for your service,'” Emma captioned the post. “Yesterday was no different.”
Reacting to the post, fans expressed their love for the retired actor.
“Bruce looks so good!!!!!” one person commented on Emma’s post. “This makes my heart happy.”
“Absolutely nobody will ever be as cool as Bruce Willis,” another comment read.
A third person who commented on the post said they could relate because their dad also had FTD. “This brought tears to my eyes! My dad (who was a retired police officer and who also suffered from FTD) would do the same thing,” they wrote. “Even as things progressed, his eyes would light up with familiarity and recognition whenever he saw a person in uniform.”
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Bruce’s daughter, Tallulah Willis, also shared her love for the post, commenting, “This makes my heart so freaking full.”
Over the past several years, Bruce’s family members have shared several health updates on Bruce’s behalf. In December 2024, his ex-wife Demi Moore said Bruce was “in a very stable place.” When Christiane Amanpour asked Demi how Bruce is doing amid his FTD diagnosis, Demi said, “Given the givens, he’s in a very stable place at the moment.”
“I’ve shared this before,” Demi continued. “But I really mean this so sincerely: it’s so important for anybody who is dealing with this to really meet them where they’re at and from that place, there is such loving and joy.”
At the end of December, Emma and Bruce celebrated 17 years together. In an Instagram post, Emma admitted that “anniversaries used to bring excitement,” but now, “they stir up all the feelings, leaving a heaviness in my heart and a pit in my stomach.”
She explained that she allows herself to sit with the grief for a moment before focusing on their love. “Then I shake it off and return to what is. And what is… is unconditional love,” she wrote. “I feel blessed to know it, and it’s because of him. I’d do it all over again and again in a heartbeat.”
