Rumer Willis Shares New Update On Dad Bruce Willis' Dementia Battle
By Sarah Tate
August 23, 2024
Rumer Willis is sharing some new insight into how her father, actor Bruce Willis, is doing amid his battle with frontotemporal dementia.
On Thursday (August 22), Rumer took to her Instagram Stories for a brief "uncensored" Q&A with fans that covered a wide range of topics, from inquiries about how many children she wants to have to how she deals with anxiety. When one follower asked how her dad is doing while "sending love to all you guys," she shared a photo of her holding her father's hand and responded, "He is great. I love him so much. Thank you," per Page Six.
The 69-year-old Die Hard actor retired from acting in 2022 after he was diagnosed with aphasia, a disorder that can greatly affect language and speech. In 2023, Willis' family announced that his condition had "progressed" and he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, a disorder with no current cure or treatment that affects the areas of the brain associated with personality, behavior and language, per the Mayo Clinic.
Aside from her family handling her dad's heath, Rumer is also going through her own difficult chapter as she also revealed in the Q&A that she and her longtime boyfriend Derek Richard Thomas have ended their relationship. The news comes one year after the former couple welcomed their first child together, 15-month-old daughter Louetta.
"I am single momming it and coparenting," she responded to a fan asking if they were still a couple. "I'm so grateful for Lou. She is the best thing in my life and I'm forever grateful I was able to have the time in that relationship for her to come into my life."