Heartbreaking Bruce Willis Health Update Shared by 'Moonlighting' Creator
As all five seasons of the 1980s television hit “Moonlighting” finally begin streaming on Hulu, star Bruce Willis continues his battle with the neurodegenerative disorder frontotemporal dementia, or FTD.
Glenn Gordon Caron, who created the iconic detective dramedy, said Willis was “really happy that the show is going to be available for people, even though he can’t tell me that,” according to the New York Post.
Caron explained that because the process to get “Moonlighting” on Hulu took a significant amount of time, he had been able to discuss it with Willis before the FTD had rendered him uncommunicative.
“When I got to spend time with him we talked about it and I know he’s excited,” Caron said.
He noted that Willis was no longer “totally verbal.”
“All those language skills are no longer available to him, and yet he’s still Bruce,” he added.
‘Moonlighting’ creator says Bruce Willis’ battle with dementia has rendered him largely unable to communicate
“He’s not totally verbal,” Glenn Gordon Caron shared in a new interview, “yet he’s still Bruce.” https://t.co/g8Tye6FqgX
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) October 13, 2023
“When you’re with him you know that he’s Bruce and you’re grateful that he’s there, but the joie de vivre is gone.”
Willis, 68, was initially diagnosed with aphasia in 2022, as reported by USA Today.
The condition affects communication skills, particularly the ability to speak normally.
In February, Willis’ family released a statement that the aphasia had advanced to FTD.
Susan Dickinson, CEO of the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, joined Willis’ wife Emma Hemming Willis and Today co-anchor Hoda Kotb to spread awareness of the disease on Sept. 25.
Dickinson explained that FTD “can affect speech, behaviors, personality and what we call executive functioning,” which involves the ability to plan for the future.
She said that, along with experiencing difficulty putting together sentences and finding the right words, a person suffering from FTD may begin “making poor decisions or (not) completing tasks.”
Caron told the Post that he does believe Willis still recognizes him during their frequent visits, although the recognition may not be immediate.
“My sense is the first one to three minutes he knows who I am.”
Caron described Bruce as “an extraordinary person” and “an amazing guy.”
“I have tried very hard to stay in his life,” he said.
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