See the first photos of Bruce Willis since dementia diagnosis
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Bruce Willis kept things casual while going for a walk with pals Thursday after being diagnosed with dementia.
Willis, 67, enjoyed a casual stroll with two friends by his side in Santa Monica, Calif., in his first public sighting since the health news broke last month.
The “Die Hard” star was dressed in comfortable clothing, wearing a blue crewneck sweater, black pants, sneakers and a gray beanie.
Willis’ family announced on Feb. 16 that the actor was recently diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
“While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis,” his wife, Emma Heming, ex-wife Demi Moore and five daughters said in a joint statement on the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration website.
“FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone. For people under 60, FTD is the most common form of dementia, and because getting the diagnosis can take years, FTD is likely much more prevalent than we know.”
The family explained that there is no cure for FTD and that they hoped Willis’ diagnosis would spread awareness.
“Bruce has always found joy in life — and has helped everyone he knows to do the same. It has meant the world to see that sense of care echoed back to him and to all of us,” the statement said. “We have been so moved by the love you have all shared for our dear husband, father, and friend during this difficult time.
“Your continued compassion, understanding, and respect will enable us to help Bruce live as full a life as possible.”
While there is no known cure, Heming, 44, shared this week that she met with dementia specialist Teepa Snow to learn about the best ways to care for her husband.
“I’m grateful I had the opportunity to work with @teepasnows_pac who has helped me add to my dementia care toolbox,” she wrote on her Instagram Story.
“She’s a loving, compassionate and skilled leader in this space who navigates herself with pure empathy. She’s a gift. Head to the link in my bio as her website has a wealth of caregiving information you might find useful too.”
His condition has worsened since last March, when Willis’ family announced that he would be stepping away from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, a medical condition that can affect a person’s ability to speak, write and understand verbal and written language.
Heming shared in a heartbreaking post that she was grappling with “paralyzing” grief months after Willis’ aphasia diagnosis.
“I’m learning how to live along side [sic] it,” she wrote on Instagram last August.
Willis and Heming married in 2009 and share two daughters: Mabel, 10, Evelyn, 8. He also has three daughters — Rumer, 34, Scout, 31, and Tallulah, 29 — with Moore, to whom he was married from 1987 to 2000.
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