Bruce Willis has been doing very well recently and seemed in great spirits Monday as he posed for a picture with a fan in Santa Monica, California.
Willis was seen during a rare public outing five months after his aphasia diagnosis was revealed. The legendary Die Hard star was pictured laughing and smiling as he greeted a female fan and her child outside the Shutters on the Beach hotel where he is said to have enjoyed lunch with a friend.
Sadly, Willis has rarely been seen in public since the news of his diagnosis was first announced in March. The diagnosis of aphasia, which is what Willis has, affects his ability to speak and understand speech. The revelation also included the actor’s decision to step away from acting.
Willis was able to hide his condition for many years, as demonstrated by the dozens of films he has appeared in over the last decade, but ultimately it took a large toll. Nine of those projects have been released in 2022, and two more are listed as in post production on IMDB.com.
How did Willis pull this off with the condition? It’s been reported the tough-guy actor would either be fed his lines through an earpiece or have someone off camera read them to him so he could them repeat the words on camera.
Five weeks ago, Emma shared another musical experience in video of the Pulp Fiction star laughing and dancing with one of their daughters on the family’s back porch. Emma, alongside his ex-wife Demi Moore, 59, and five daughters Rumer, 33, Scout, 30, Tallulah, 28, Mabel Ray, 10, and Evelyn, eight, issued a joint statement via Instagram March 30 announcing his aphasia diagnosis.
They said that the Hollywood icon ‘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. This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support.’
They continued: ‘We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him. As Bruce always says, “Live it up” and together we plan to do just that.’
The Mayo Clinic defines aphasia as ‘a condition that affects your ability to communicate’ that ‘can affect your speech, as well as the way you write and understand both spoken and written language.’
The actor’s family did not announce what caused his bout with aphasia, which has a number of potential causes.
The condition could occur following a head injury or stroke, or can be a predecessor to a brain tumor or Alzheimer’s disease.
Patients who are living with the condition are typically treated with speech therapy and taught ways to communicate non-verbally.
