Bruce Willis, the Hollywood tough guy best known for starring in the *Die Hard* film series, has stepped back from the entertainment industry in recent years to focus on his recovery after being diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.  

According to media reports, Willis' wife, Emma Heming Willis, recently shared an update on her husband's condition during a TV appearance. She stated that due to Willis' need for professional care, the family had made the decision to live separately from him—arranging for him to move into an independent residence where he could receive round-the-clock specialized care.  

Emma further revealed that prior to this arrangement, neither she nor the children had been able to invite friends over to their home, out of fear that it might disrupt Willis' treatment. "It wasn’t just me feeling isolated; the kids were too," she admitted. She emphasized that the choice to live apart from Willis was made to protect their two daughters: "Bruce would want the girls to be in a home that meets their needs, not one that only caters to his."  

Regarding Willis' current health, Emma noted, "Bruce is still physically mobile and in overall good health, but his brain is gradually declining, and he is losing his ability to speak. We have learned new ways to communicate with him—it’s a completely different kind of interaction."  

Born in 1955, Bruce Willis rose to fame with his 1985 Emmy Award win for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role in *Moonlighting*. In 1998, he received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance in the film *Armageddon*. His starring role in the *Die Hard* franchise, which achieved massive box office success, solidified his reputation as a Hollywood action icon.  

In March 2022, Willis announced his retirement from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia. In February 2023, his family released a statement updating the public that his condition had worsened, and he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia—a currently incurable disease.  

What is frontotemporal dementia? As explained by the Mental Health Center Affiliated to Zhejiang University School of Medicine, frontotemporal dementia refers to a group of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by atrophy of the frontal and/or temporal lobes. It presents clinically with progressive neurobehavioral abnormalities and language dysfunction. The average age of onset is 45–65 years, with a peak incidence between 60 and 69 years, making it the leading cause of early-onset dementia.  

It typically falls into two main categories: behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD), which is primarily marked by changes in personality and behavior, and primary progressive aphasia (PPA), which is characterized by a gradual, insidious decline in language function.