STEPPING OUT
Bruce Willis spotted for the first time since wife Emma’s emotional interview as family rally round star
BRUCE Willis has been spotted out and about for the first time after his wife made an emotional confession about his dementia being "a blessing and a curse".
Earlier this week, Bruce's wife and "caregiver" Emma Heming became understandably tearful when discussing the Die Hard actor's shock medical diagnosis.
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Bruce's family announced in March 2022 that he was battling aphasia, a condition which was impacting the 68-year-old's cognitive abilities.
Now he has been seen enjoying a car ride in Los Angeles, sitting in the passenger seat of a Range Rover driven by a male pal.
The Armageddon favourite wheeled down the car window for a spot of fresh air and looked content people-watching as the car drove through the streets.
Bruce, wrapped up in a blue hat and matching padded jacket, was seen looking at something on his lap, before taking a glance out of the window on to the street.
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His outing came after Emma became emotional while talking about Bruce's condition and being his caregiver during an appearance on the show.
She told host Hoda Kotb: "What I'm learning is that dementia is hard. It’s hard on the person diagnosed, it’s also hard on the family.
"And that is no different for Bruce, or myself, or our girls. When they say this is a family disease, it really is."
Emma married Bruce in 2009 and has two daughters with him - Mabel, 11, and Evelyn, nine.
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She said: "The most important thing was to be able for us to say what the disease was, explain what it is.
"When you know what the disease is from a medical standpoint it sort of all makes sense.
'So it was important that we let them know what it is because I don't want there to be any stigma or shame attached to their dad's diagnosis or for any form of dementia."
When Hoda asked: "Does he know what's going on? Is that something he's aware of?" Emma paused before responding: "Hard to know."
Emma, who appeared on the show to promote World Frontotemporal Dementia Awareness Week, went on to explain how she felt coming to terms with Bruce's devastating diagnosis.
The mother-of-two said: "I think it was the blessing and the curse. You know, to sort of finally understand what was happening so that I can be into the acceptance of what is."
Bruce also has three daughters, Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah, with his first wife, actress Demi Moore.
Bruce's daughter Rumer, 34, whom he shares with Demi Moore, shared the heartbreaking news about her father's diagnosis on Instagram.
, she explained that Bruce's condition was sadly "not treatable" and "has progressed".
She said: "Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD).
"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."
Meanwhile, his daughter Tallulah revealed the key dementia signs the family missed.
Tallulah said her dad's symptoms "started out with a kind of vague unresponsiveness", which the family chalked up to Hollywood hearing loss: “Speak up! Die Hard messed with Dad’s ears.”
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As Bruce's unresponsiveness later "broadened", Tallulah divulged she "sometimes took it personally", saying in an essay penned for : "I thought he’d lost interest in me."
“Though this couldn’t have been further from the truth, my adolescent brain tortured itself with some faulty maths: I’m not beautiful enough for my mother, I’m not interesting enough for my father.”
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