Tallulah Willis revealed why her family has been very open with Bruce Willis’ ‘aggressive’ dementia diagnosis while also giving an update on the retired actor’s condition.
The actress, 29 – whose father is reportedly losing ‘joie de vivre’ and ‘language skills’ amid dementia decline – discussed the Die Hard star, 68, during Wednesday’s episode of The Drew Barrymore Show.
In February, Bruce’s loved ones announced on social media that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which Tallulah said was an ‘aggressive cognitive disease – form of dementia – that is very rare.’
When asked by Drew why the family has decided to be so open about his diagnosis, the youngest daughter of Bruce and Demi Moore stated, ‘Well, I think it’s twofold.’
‘On one hand, it’s who we are as a family, but also, it’s really important for us to spread awareness about FTD…’
Opening up: Tallulah Willis, 29, revealed why her family has been very open with Bruce Willis’, 65, ‘aggressive’ dementia diagnosis while also giving a new health update on the retired actor
Bringing ‘awareness’: ‘On one hand, it’s who we are as a family, but also, it’s really important for us to spread awareness about FTD…,’ she said about being open about the star’s diagnosis
She added, ‘If we can take something that we’re struggling with as a family, and individually, to help other people, to turn it around to make something beautiful about it, that’s really special for us.’
‘And part of what’s been a really beautiful way for me to heal through this is becoming like an archeologist to my dad’s stuff – his world – to his little trinkets and doo-dads,’ Tallulah stated.
The beauty also recalled how music is important to Bruce and was a big part of growing up with her sisters.
‘It’s a huge part of also how I spent time with him now, is playing music and just kind of sitting in this energy of love. It’s really special.’
Barrymore then asked the actress what ‘state’ Bruce is currently in, with Tallulah replying with, ‘He is the same…which I think, in this regard, I’ve learned is the best thing that you can ask for.’
‘And what I see is love when I am with him,’ she sweetly added. ‘And it’s my dad and he loves me.’
Tallulah is the youngest daughter of Demi Moore and Bruce – who also share Rumer, 35, and Scout, 32. The former couple were married from 1987 until their divorce in 2000.
The Sixth Sense actor later tied the knot with Emma Heming in 2009, and they also share daughters Mabel, 11, and Evelyn, nine.
Helping others: She added, ‘If we can take something that we’re struggling with as a family, and individually, to help other people, to turn it around to make something beautiful about it, that’s really special for us’
Time together: ‘It’s a huge part of also how I spent time with him now, is playing music and just kind of sitting in this energy of love. It’s really special,’ the actress expressed to Drew
Update: Barrymore then asked the actress what ‘state’ Bruce is currently in, with Tallulah replying with, ‘He is the same…which I think, in this regard, I’ve learned is the best thing that you can ask for’
‘Love’: And what I see is love when I am with him,’ she sweetly added. ‘And it’s my dad and he loves me’
‘The best thing that I have learned in all of this journey, whether it be my own, whether it be through what’s going on with my dad and the way our family has blended together in this beautiful tapestry of wonderful female energy is to make space for the negative self talk.’
She stated the importance of ‘not trying to eradicate it,’ adding, ‘I need to make room for it so that when I see it come up, I can just say, “Okay, I see you. I understand why you’re coming up and you’re going to go over here.”‘
‘Versus completely gutting myself over and over…and then with that, I’ve been able to find a lot of love for myself, which is really special.’
Last month in October, close friend Glenn Gordon Caron, and creator of the 1980s sitcom Moonlighting that starred Bruce, gave a heartbreaking update on the star.
‘My sense is the first one to three minutes he knows who I am,’ he told Page Six. ‘He’s not totally verbal; he used to be a voracious reader – he didn’t want anyone to know that – and he’s not reading now.’
He added, ‘All those language skills are no longer available to him, and yet he’s still Bruce. 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.’
Glenn explained that he does try to pay Willis a visit as often as he can, but admitted, ‘I’m not always quite that good.’
‘But I try and I do talk to him and his wife and I have a casual relationship with his three older children. I have tried very hard to stay in his life.’
Family: Tallulah is the youngest daughter of Demi Moore and Bruce – who also share Rumer, 35, and Scout, 32 and the retired actor also shares daughters Mabel, 11, and Evelyn, nine with wife, Emma Heming
Losing verbal skills: Close friend Glenn Gordon Caron told Page Six, ‘He’s not totally verbal; he used to be a voracious reader – he didn’t want anyone to know that – and he’s not reading now’
Tribute: In September, Tallulah and Scout paid a special tribute to their ‘inspirational’ stepmother Emma Heming after she opened up on the Today show about her husband’s health
‘The thing that makes [his disease] so mind-blowing is if you’ve ever spent time with Bruce Willis, there is no one who had any more joie de vivre than he.’
Caron explained that the star, ‘just adored waking up every morning and trying to live life to its fullest,’ but stated that he is now ‘seeing life through a screen door.’
In September, Tallulah and Scout paid a special tribute to their ‘inspirational’ stepmother Emma Heming after she opened up on the Today show about her husband’s health.
Scout called her ‘a champion’ and added ‘you inspire me EVERY SINGLE F*****G DAY with your bravery and deep loving.’
