In an interview with the Town & Country portal, Emma revealed that the early signs of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) by Bruce were confused by the return of his childhood stuttering.
“Bruce has always stuttered, but he has known how to hide it”said Emma, noting that it was because of his stutter that he was determined to pursue acting.
“He went to university and there was a theater professor who told him: ‘I have something that will help you.’ In that class, Bruce realized that he could memorize a script and be able to say it without stuttering. “That was what drove him to act,” he continued.
Because of her medical history, Emma said she initially ignored early warning signs. “As their language began to change, [parecía] that it was just part of a stutter, it was just Bruce,” he shared. “Never in a million years would I have thought it would be a form of dementia for someone so young.”.
Confirmation of Bruce Willis’ illness
Bruce’s family revealed his FTD diagnosis in February 2023. According to the Frontotemporal Degeneration Association, FTD is the most common form of dementia and can affect behavior, personality, language, and movement.
“Today there are no treatments for the diseasea reality that we hope can change in the coming years. As Bruce’s condition progresses, we hope that media attention can be focused on shedding light on this disease which needs much more awareness and research,” reads a joint statement signed by Emma and the star’s ex-wife. Pulp Fiction, Demi Moore.
“In Bruce’s case, it started in the temporal lobes and then spread to the front of the brain. “It attacks and destroys the person’s ability to walk, think and make decisions,” Emma told Couric.
He added: “I say the FTD whispers, not shouts. It’s hard for me to say, ‘This is where Bruce ended up and this is where his illness started to take over.’ He was diagnosed with aphasia two years ago, but a year before that we had an imprecise diagnosis of aphasia, which is a symptom of a disease, but it is not the disease.”
Emma has been frank in telling the couple’s youngest daughters, Mabel, 12, and Evelyn, 10, that their father will not get better. “I’ve never tried to sugarcoat anything for them,” he says. “I’m not trying to protect you from this.”.
Since Bruce’s diagnosis, Emma has been a strong advocate for FTD families by sharing information about the disease and connect with other people going through the same situation.
Source: Ambito
