30 October 2023 , 15:27
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Bruce Willis was spotted being driven around Los Angeles by a bodyguard this past Sunday.
The Sixth Sense actor rode in the passenger seat of a black Range Rover as he was driven around Studio City in Los Angeles and enjoying the gorgeous California weather. The star retired from acting last year when his health problems were first announced.
Bruce's wife, Emma Heming Willis, has been her husband's main caretaker and has let fans into glimpses of how Bruce is doing. Recently she assured fans that the actor was not " robbed of his dignity " since his diagnosis.
READ MORE: Bruce Willis' wife remembers sweet times with her husband amid actor's dementia decline
The actor was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia earlier this year (Bruce/Javiles / BACKGRID)Earlier this month, Emma posted a quote from Teepa Snow, a dementia care specialist, on her Instagram story. The quote read: "Dementia doesn't rob someone of their dignity, it is our reaction to them that does." Emma included her own caption on the story and wrote: "I couldn't agree more Teepa."
Bruce Willis diagnosed with dementia as family release emotional statement
Last March, the actor's family released a statement that he was suffering from aphasia, a language disorder that affects someone's speaking and writing. The statement read: "To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities. As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him."
A year after that initial statement, another statement was released that Bruce was officially diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD). The statement was a joint one between Emma; her two daughters with Bruce - Mabel and Evelyn; Bruce's ex-wife Demi Moore; and his three daughters with Demi - Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah.
He was seen being driven by a bodyguard (Bruce/Javiles / BACKGRID)The joint statement from the blended family read: "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. 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."
It's recently been revealed that Bruce is completely non-verbal. "All those language skills are no longer available to him, and yet he’s still Bruce," the creator of Moonlighting Glenn Gordon Caron said, "When you’re with him you know that he’s Bruce and you’re grateful that he’s there, but the joie de vivre is gone."