Bruce Willis' Daughter Says Actor Is 'Not Doing Great' Amid FTD Battle: 'I Still See A Spark Of Him'
By Favour Adegoke on November 21, 2025 at 7:15 PM EST
Rumer Willis shared that her father, Bruce Willis, is "holding steady" as he lives with frontotemporal dementia.
The actress noted in a new update that her emotional connection with the movie star remains strong even when he doesn't fully recognize her.
Bruce Willis now receives 24/7 care in a nearby residence, a decision his wife, Emma Heming Willis, says has helped their daughters regain normalcy despite public criticism.
Rumer Willis Reflects On Bruce Willis' FTD Battle And The Moments That Still Bring Them Close
During a Q&A on her Instagram Stories on Thursday, Rumer responded to a follower who inquired about her father, Bruce Willis's, health challenges.
Bruce, now 70, was first diagnosed with aphasia in 2022, and later that year, his family revealed he was living with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
Rumer candidly admitted the question is always tough to answer, saying, "I think it's kind of a hard one to answer."
She continued, "Because the truth is, that anybody with FTD is not doing great. But he's doing OK, in terms of somebody who's dealing with frontotemporal dementia."
The 37-year-old actress added that the moments they share still mean everything: "When I go over there, and I give him a hug. Whether he recognizes me or not, that he can feel the love I've given him, and I can feel it back from him. That I still see a spark of him, and he can feel the love that I'm giving. So that feels really nice."
Rumer also shared how grateful she is that her almost 2-year-old daughter, Luetta, gets to spend time with her grandfather.
Emma Heming Willis Defends Family's Decision To Move Bruce Into Full-Time Care: 'You Don't Get A Vote'
After his diagnosis, Bruce stepped back from acting. In 2023, the family issued a statement thanking fans for the overwhelming compassion and kindness they had received since sharing the news.
More recently, his wife, Emma Heming Willis, revealed that the "Die Hard" actor now lives in a nearby second residence where he can receive 24/7 care.
Speaking at the Endwell 2025 event in August, the 47-year-old said she was prepared for backlash but chose honesty anyway.
"I did a lot of therapy around that to kind of, like, get myself ready," Emma said, per the New York Post.
Some online critics questioned the family's decision, but she pushed back firmly: "If you are not on the front lines of this, in that person's house day in, day out, 365 days a year, you don't get a say and you don't get a vote."
The former model added, "This is the best decision for our family. It was the safest one. And our family is now, in essence, thriving. People don't realize all the needs that go unmet behind closed doors."
Emma Heming Willis Shares Why Bruce Willis' New Care Setup Works For Their Family
Emma explained that the new living arrangement has allowed their daughters to reclaim parts of their childhood, inviting friends over, maintaining routines, while still being close to their father.
"Their world has completely opened up, and so has my husband's," the actress said. "It's the right thing for our family, and it might not be right for everybody else's, but that's OK. We're all on our own journey."
While promoting her new memoir, "The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path," Emma revealed another difficult but comforting reality: Bruce isn't aware that he has FTD.
"The person doesn't realize that they are experiencing a decline in their health," she explained in an interview with NewsNation. "It's not denial; this is just a part of the disease. So, it's a blessing and a curse. But I am grateful that Bruce never tapped into the idea that he had FTD."
Emma Heming Willis Dispels Misconceptions About Bruce Willis' Condition
Emma also shot down the widespread assumption that Bruce no longer knows his family due to his condition.
"FTD is not Alzheimer's," she clarified. "Bruce doesn't have Alzheimer's. So he does know who we are."
What the actor seemingly struggles with is expressing himself the way he used to. For Emma, that hasn't changed the depth of their bond.
"We don't need words," she noted. "We have a very deep connection, and we have learned to sort of meet him where he's at. And just be supportive and be able to love him."
Bruce Willis' Wife Shares How Their Daughters Are Coping
As for Emma and Bruce's daughters, the actress revealed that they're coping as best as they can, even as they grieve the moments they wish they could share with their dad.
"They miss their dad so much," she told Vogue Australia. "He's missing important milestones, that's tough for them."
Emma added that while the girls are strong, the long-term impact is impossible to predict.
"They're learning how to live with this, and so am I," she stated.
