Bruce Willis greets LA police in first public appearance since dementia diagnosis
Los Angeles, California - For the first time in two years, actor Bruce Willis has appeared in public again.
After the Die Hard star (69) shared his dementia diagnosis in February 2023, he withdrew from Hollywood.
As his illness – later clarified as frontotemporal dementia, or FTD – progresses, Willis will likely not be in front of the camera again.
But in a new video shared by his wife Emma, Willis was seen out in public as he chatted with first responders on the front line of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires.
A visibly grateful Willis shook hands with a police officer and shared a sweet chat.
"Spotting a first responder, Bruce never missed a chance to show his gratitude with a heartfelt handshake and a 'thank you for your service.' Yesterday was no different," Emma wrote in the caption of the clip.
The black-and-white clip was accompanied by the song Going to California by Led Zeppelin.
Bruce Willis suffers from frontotemporal dementia
Since Willis was diagnosed with FTD, there has been little information about the star's health.
At the end of 2023, his daughter Tallulah (30) gave a rare update, speaking on Hollywood icon Drew Barrymore's talk show about an "aggressive cognitive disease" that progresses rapidly.
People with FTD usually suffer from speech disorders, changes in personality, and interpersonal behavior.
Memory loss only occurs as the disease progresses. Typically, the rare dementia occurs between the ages of 50 and 60.
Bruce Willis was married to fellow actor Demi Moore (62) from 1987 to 2000 and shares three daughters with her.
Since 2009, he has been married to British model Emma Heming, with whom he has two more daughters. Willis has appeared in over 130 films, with his last appearance in front of the big camera in the science fiction film Assassin.
Cover photo: Collage: Screenshots/Instagram/@emmahemingwillis