Beloved star Bruce Willis’ rare public appearance sparks outpouring of love

After battling dementia and stepping out of the public eye, beloved star Bruce Willis has been spotted for the first time, thanking first responders for their efforts in battling the Los Angeles wildfires.

In a video shared by his wife, Emma Heming, the Die Hard star is seen shaking hands with first responders, greeting them warmly, and taking photos with them.

“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,” Hemming wrote alongside the moving clip.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Emma Heming Willis (@emmahemingwillis)

Fans were overjoyed to see the beloved Willis once again, many happy to see how “wonderful” he looked.

“He really is an amazing human- nothing can take that from him,” one wrote.

“Bruce looks so good!!!!! This makes my heart happy.”

“He looks wonderful! Love to see him smile,” commented another.

“So so so good to see him!!! He looks great. Thank you very much for sharing this video of Bruce….for all of his fans to see. It did my heart so good to see him smile. Thank you, Emma!”

Willis’ family have previously taken to social media to share the news of the actor’s frontotemporal dementia diagnosis, expressing “relief to finally have a clear diagnosis”.

“As a family, we wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for the outpouring of love and compassion for Bruce over the past ten months. Your generosity of spirit has been overwhelming, and we are tremendously grateful for it. For your kindness, and because we know you love Bruce as much as we do, we wanted to give you an update,” a statement from the family read.

“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). 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’ fanbase was left in a state of shock when news broke of Willis’ initial aphasia diagnosis, a condition known to disrupt one’s ability to communicate effectively.

Taking to social media on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, the renowned Hollywood icon’s family issued a collective statement, revealing that he would be “stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him” in light of the diagnosis.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Demi Moore (@demimoore)

As per Dementia Australia, frontotemporal dementia gradually impairs the frontal or temporal lobes of the brain, leading to changes in behaviour, personality, language, and motor skills.