Bruce Willis turned 69 on March 19, and his family is preparing for a difficult farewell to the man who is gradually giving in to his worsening illness. Family members and friends are “cherishing every last moment with him,” knowing that “this could be his last birthday,” despite his diminished appetite and drastic weight loss.
Discover why a family friend thinks that “this is a sad situation” by reading on.
Bruce Willis was spotted jokingly celebrating his 68th birthday in 2023 and joining in on the family rendition of
“Happy Birthday.”
Willis’s ex-wife, Demi Moore, posted a video of the family wishing him “Happy Birthday” on social media on Sunday, March 19. Before blowing out his candles, the Hollywood heavyweight was heard talking with his family, which included his three daughters, Rumer, 35, Scout, 32, and Tallulah, 30. Emma Heming Willis, 44, was also audible. “Happy birthday, BW! So glad we could celebrate you today. Love you and love our family,” Demi Moore, the ex-wife, exclaimed as she shared the amusing video on Instagram.
This marked his first public appearance since his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis was made public.
‘Extremely anxious’
Throughout the previous year, a lot has changed.
The family is reportedly “very worried” about the Die Hard star’s weight loss and diminished appetite because he is currently in a worsening condition.
According to a source who spoke with In Touch, “he doesn’t express hunger much,” adding that his weight and diminished appetite are warning indicators of a declining health.
“According to family members, the challenge at home is making sure that he’s getting enough to eat, that he’s not skipping mealtime, and that his diet is filled with foods that have the chance to improve his health instead of subtract from it…This is a sad situation that should be familiar to anybody who is dealing with a close family member with dementia or Alzheimer’s.”
The source continues, “He can’t communicate anymore, and he has difficulty recognizing people,” adding that his sharpness is declining.
Glenn Gordon, who plays the lead in Sixth Sense, confirms that his close friend is deteriorating:
“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.” Gordon, who tries to see Willis at least once a month, continues, “All those language skills are no longer available to him.”
‘Far from the truth’
Emma, meanwhile, responds to the writers of the “blurbs of misinformation,” stating she’s “triggered” and that “there is no more joy in my husband.”
Emma, the most ardent supporter of the Oscar-winning actor, said on Instagram on March 2 regarding the “negative narrative around dementia.” She states, “My experience is that two things can be true and exist at the same time. Grief and deep love. Sadness and deep connection. Trauma and resilience.”
She goes on to clarify in the video, saying,
“I can just tell you, that is far from the truth. A hundred percent, there is grief and sadness, there’s all of that. But you start a new chapter…it’s filled with love, it’s filled with connection, it’s filled with joy, it’s filled with happiness.” “I need society and whoever is writing these stupid headlines to stop scaring people, stop scaring people to think that once they get a diagnosis of some kind of neurocognitive disease, that that’s it, it’s over,” she stated, without naming the publication that released the damaging information.
‘Could be his last birthday’
His 69th birthday may seem very different now that family members are getting ready for a tearful farewell.
“Everybody’s staying positive about Bruce’s future and hopeful that he finds some kind of comfortable plateau or even, God willing, shows signs of improvement,” the insider says, adding that family members are dedicated to spending as much time with him as they can. “They know being in the presence of his family seems to bring him a lot of comfort, so that is what they focus on. No matter how much time Bruce has left, they want him to be surrounded by love and happiness.”
On March 19, 2024, the Pulp Fiction actor will turn 69. Emma, Moore, and his five daughters will be there to celebrate his life.
“Those who love Bruce want to cherish every last moment with him. They all realize this could be his last birthday.” The source adds about his daughters, “they’re taking as many photos and videos as possible.”