Since 2022, Bruce Willis has faced a deeply challenging health journey, marked by a difficult diagnosis and the gradual progression of a neurodegenerative disease. In March 2022, the Willis family publicly announced that the beloved actor would be stepping away from his iconic acting career due to health issues. At that time, they shared that Willis had been diagnosed with **aphasia**, a language disorder that impairs a person’s ability to speak, write, and comprehend speech. This announcement sent shockwaves through the entertainment world, as Willis had been a fixture in Hollywood for decades, best known for his roles in films like *Die Hard* and *The Fifth Element*.
The Progression to Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD)
In early 2023, the Willis family revealed more about Bruce’s ongoing health struggles. They shared that his condition had worsened and that he had been given a definitive diagnosis of **frontotemporal dementia** (FTD), a rare and progressive neurological disease. FTD primarily affects areas of the brain involved in behavior, emotions, and language—often impairing communication skills, while memory may remain relatively intact for a longer period of time compared to other forms of dementia, such as Alzheimer’s. It is the most common form of dementia in people under the age of 60, and it is a disease that has no cure and progresses slowly but steadily over time.