'This is painful': Family says Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal degeneration

There is sad news about actor Bruce Willis.

In a lengthy statement Thursday on the website of the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, his family revealed he now has that disease.

Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD)," they wrote. "Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.

Willis, 67, retired from acting last March when he was diagnosed with aphasia.

That's a medical condition that can affect a person's ability to speak, write and understand language, both verbal and written, according to the Mayo Clinic.

They wrote in their update,

FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone. For people under 60, FTD is the most common form of dementia, and because getting the diagnosis can take years, FTD is likely much more prevalent than we know. Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead. As Bruce’s condition advances, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs far more awareness and research.

The statement was signed, "Emma, Demi, Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn"

Willis is known for his decades-long career in Hollywood, often playing the lead in action films like Die Hard, Armageddon, and Pulp Fiction. He also starred on the TV series Moonlighting.