Born in 1955 in West Germany and raised in New Jersey, Willis first broke through in television with the comedy-drama series Moonlighting in the 1980s.
Hollywood veteran Bruce Willis, the man who gave life to action hero John McClane in the Die Hard films, is now living under full-time care as he continues to battle frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
According to his wife, Emma Heming-Willis, the 70-year-old actor now resides in a home nearby with 24/7 professional care, while she and their two daughters visit him frequently. Emma says the arrangement ensures his safety and stability, even as the family continues to cherish every moment together.
“Even though language is gone, love remains,” she shares in a recent ABC News special, describing how his laugh and “twinkle in his eye” still shine through despite the illness.
Born in 1955 in West Germany and raised in New Jersey, Willis first broke through in television with the comedy-drama series Moonlighting in the 1980s.
His career exploded in 1988 when he starred as tough-talking NYPD officer John McClane in Die Hard, a role that became his signature and redefined the modern action film.
Over the next four decades, Willis headlined a string of memorable hits including Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction (1994) to sci-fi classics like 12 Monkeys (1995) and The Fifth Element (1997).
He proved his dramatic depth in The Sixth Sense (1999) and later revisited his superhero role in Unbreakable (2000) and its sequels.
With more than 70 films under his belt, Willis became one of Hollywood’s most bankable and versatile stars, earning a Golden Globe, two Emmy Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006.
Willis stepped back from acting in 2022 after being diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that affects speech and comprehension. The following year, doctors confirmed that he was living with frontotemporal dementia, a rare degenerative disease with no cure.
While his acting career has ended, his family continues to honour his legacy and raise awareness about FTD. Emma Heming-Willis has spoken openly about the challenges of caregiving, calling for more compassion toward families dealing with dementia.
“Bruce may not be the same as the man you’ve seen on screen,” she said, “but he’s still the center of our lives.”
For millions of fans, Willis remains the everyman hero who saved skyscrapers, cities, and even planets on screen and now faces his toughest battle with the same quiet strength.
