Published: 8:46 PM PST, November 20, 2023
Rumer Willis tells how she feels among her father Bruce Willis‘ dementia battle.
In a post on Instagram on Monday, the actress, 35, shared with her 1.1 million followers that she “misses” her father as his condition continues to deteriorate.
“Really missing my dad today. 🥲,” Rumer wrote in a caption on the social media platform.
To the photo, she attached a photo of herself and her father, 68, from when she was a baby. In the photo, Bruce is holding his young daughter in his arms as he looks lovingly at her.
Some commentators immediately expressed concern over the Hollywood icon’s passing, but many seemed to relate to his diagnosis of dementia, which causes a person to lose their memory, language and other functional abilities, according to Alzheimer’s Association.
Bruce was diagnosed with the disorder last year, and as a byproduct, aphasia, a brain-mediated inability to speak or understand speech. According to the Mayo Clinic, frontotemporal dementia “is an umbrella term for a group of brain disorders that primarily affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.”
“Hugs. It’s strangely hard to miss someone who is still here. Dementia is a cruel beast,” one person responded to Rumer’s post.
“Anticipatory grief is so hard to process at times. I’m sorry,” replied another.
“With dementia, grief starts so much earlier and lasts longer because you start grieving the loss before they are physically gone,” wrote a third person.
The post from Die hard the star’s daughter arrives a few days after Bruce’s wife, Emma Heming Willispenned a heartbreaking tribute to her husband as he battles frontotemporal dementia.
In a personal essay written for Maria Shrivers Sunday Newspaper, the mother of two shares her perspective and what she’s learned as she and Bruce’s family navigate his disorder. In her step-by-step guide, Emma shares the value of community, awareness and research.
“I struggle with guilt, knowing that I have resources that others don’t,” she writes. “When I’m able to get out for a hike to clear my head, it’s not lost that not all care partners can do that. When what I share about our family’s journey gets press coverage, I know that there many thousands of untold, unheard stories, each one deserving of compassion and concern.At the same time, I see that what I share matters to others who may be struggling, and in some small way makes them feel seen and understood.”
Meanwhile, in early November, Bruce’s daughter Tallulah Willis was a guest on The Drew Barrymore Showand gave an update on his father’s condition and how life has been.
“He’s the same, which I think I’ve learned in this regard is the best you can ask for,” she said of her father. “I see love when I’m with him and it’s my dad and he loves me, which is really special.”
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