Bruce Willis appears to have made his first public appearance in over one year to show his appreciation for first responders as the Los Angeles wildfires continue.
On Thursday (January 16) the Die Hard actor’s wife Emma Heming Willis shared a video on Instagram showing her husband shaking a police officer’s hand and then posing for a photo with another officer.
“Spotting a first responder, Bruce never missed a chance to show his gratitude with a heartfelt handshake and a ‘thank you for your service.’ Yesterday was no different,” her caption read.
Willis’s family first revealed he would be “stepping away” from acting after he had been diagnosed with aphasia which was “impacting his cognitive abilities” in March 2022.
One year later, in a joint statement shared with the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, his family revealed that his condition had progressed.
“We now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD),” they wrote.
“Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.”
Calling it a “cruel disease”, they went on to say that “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.”
“Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead. As Bruce’s condition advances, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs far more awareness and research,” they added.
“Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately.
“We know in our hearts that — if he could today — he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connectedness with those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families.”
Willis’s ex-wife Demi Moore most recently provided an update regarding his health last month during an interview with CNN. “Given the givens, he’s in a very stable place at the moment,” she said.
She continued: “I’ve shared this before, but I really mean this so sincerely, it’s so important for anybody who’s dealing with this to really meet them where they’re at, and from that place, there is such loving and joy.”
Moore added: “I mean, obviously it’s very difficult, and it’s not what I would wish upon anyone and there is great loss, but there is also great beauty and gifts that can come out of it.”
More than 40,000 acres have burned in Southern California since the start of the wildfires on January 7. The biggest, the Palisades Fire, has destroyed nearly 24,000 acres and is 21 percent contained. The Eaton fire has taken out 14,000 acres and is 45 percent contained. At least 25 people have died in the fires.
