Rumer Willis, who is the eldest daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, got vulnerable when speaking about her dad during a recent interview. In 2023, Bruce’s loved ones publicly shared that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
And although Bruce is now retired and stays out of the spotlight, his family continues to share updates with fans. During recent interviews, Rumer has said that she’s “so grateful” for the time that she gets to spend with her father, even though their relationship has changed in some ways.
Part of the reason she’s grateful is that Bruce “seems generally wonderful.”
Some of Bruce’s loved ones, such as his wife, Emma Heming Willis, have talked about the symptoms of FTD that he experiences. For example, Emma has made it clear that FTD differs from Alzheimer’s. She explained that people often ask her if Bruce remembers her—and clarified that “he does because he doesn’t have Alzheimer’s.”
Most of the time, however, Bruce’s adult children will simply say that he’s OK “given all of the givens.” During a recent interview with People, Rumer said the same thing, but she also shared some more details.
“What’s been interesting having a family member with dementia, it’s like, he’s happy,” she told the publication. “As well as someone could be doing, given the circumstances, he’s doing well.”
She later added, “I’m grateful that he seems generally wonderful and, given all of the givens of our situation, that our family is just so loving and together.”
Rumer also touched on Bruce’s relationship with her daughter, Louetta.
She welcomed her daughter in April 2023, and previously said that she’s so grateful that she has a child who was able to meet Bruce. “I don’t know if my sisters will have that,” she said during an appearance on the Inside Edit podcast. “You know, who knows? I’m just so grateful for all the things that I do get.”
When speaking to People, she mentioned that her dad seems so happy to see her and her daughter when they visit. “When I get to see him, he sees me and Louetta and he starts smiling,” she told the publication. “So, there’s so much love and joy and tenderness that still exists there. And in terms of that, I would say that’s a huge win.”
Previously, Rumer also reflected on how she has noticed that “there’s a sweetness” and “tenderness” to her dad now, which is not necessarily something she noticed before. “You know, he’s always been this kind of macho dude,” she said. “And now, there’s just such a… tenderness that maybe being Bruce Willis might not have allowed him in a certain way.”
Above all else, she’s grateful for the time that she’s able to spend with him.
She admitted to People that FTD can feel like a “mystery” in some ways. She doesn’t know exactly how it will affect her dad in the future, but she appreciates what she has right now.
“The most important thing for me is that I’m so grateful that I have this time with him for however many years it may be,” she told the publication.
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