While Bruce Willis’ mind continues to slip away amid his battle with dementia, he is still “very present in his body,” as the former actor turns 71, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.
Willis’ wife, Emma Heming Willis, used the occasion to ask fans to support the research fund she set up in the couple’s name, as Bruce continues to cognitively decline.
Bruce Willis Turned 71 Amid His Dementia Battle
Emma shared a throwback photo of a smiling Bruce aboard a yacht during a tropical vacation in happier times before his illness.
“Today we celebrate Bruce’s birthday. This journey with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) has opened my eyes to the realities so many families face,” she began in the caption. “It’s what inspired me to create The Emma & Bruce Willis Fund to raise awareness of FTD, support research, and stand beside the caregivers who carry so much every day.”
She urged fans who wanted to honor Bruce’s birthday to “please consider supporting the fund or another organization working in this space, or simply checking in on a caregiver,” calling it “a small act of kindness that can mean so much.”
Bruce Willis Is ‘Very Much Present in His Body’
Emma previously revealed that Bruce is still holding up well physically.
“He’s still very much present in his body,” the former model said of her husband.
While the Die Hard star lost his verbal capabilities to FTD, “He has a way of connecting with me, our children,” Emma shared about herself and their two children, daughters Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11.
“That might not be the same as you would connect with your loved one, but it’s still very beautiful, it’s still very meaningful — it’s just different,” she noted about how the Hollywood legend interacts physically with his family.
Emma added, “You just learn how to adapt to it and meet them where they’re at.”
‘Heartbreaking Moments’ Amid Bruce Willis’ Dementia Battle
Despite Emma looking at the glass as half full, an insider revealed that watching Bruce decline is “gut-wrenching.”
“Every day there seems to be a new shock to contend with as his health worsens,” the spy spilled, while the Pulp Fiction star, being unable to realize what he’s going through, “makes for some heartbreaking moments.”
Emma previously revealed that Bruce never fully understood he had dementia, as he was initially diagnosed with the communication disorder aphasia in 2022, which caused him to retire from acting.
It wasn’t until the following year that doctors realized he was suffering from progressive and incurable FTD.
Emma Heming Willis Moved Bruce Into a New Home for the Sake of Their Daughters
“The blessing and the curse of this is that Bruce never tapped in — he never connected the dots that he had this disease,” Emma recalled.
She added, “And I’m really happy about that. I’m really happy he doesn’t know about it.”
Emma revealed in August 2025 that Bruce had been moved out of the family’s home and into a separate house nearby where he could receive round-the-clock care.
“I knew, first and foremost, Bruce would want that for our daughters,” she told ABC News’ Diane Sawyer while defending her decision. “He would want them to be in a home that was more tailored to their needs, not his needs.”
Credit: Tri-Star/Kobal/Shutterstock
NEED TO KNOW
- Kim Basinger celebrated the 39th anniversary of Blind Date by sharing scenes from the romantic comedy
- Basinger praised her costar, Bruce Willis, who stood out in his first credited lead role
- Willis, 70, has led a private life since his 2023 frontotemporal dementia (FTD) diagnosis
Kim Basinger is sharing fond memories of her time working with Bruce Willis.
The actress, 72, shared scenes from her 1987 film Blind Date, a rom-com in which the two play an unlikely pair set up by friends and family. The scenes are set to AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long.”
Looking back on the movie, Basinger captioned her post, “Nobody could’ve been a better partner than Bruce Willis for this movie.”
“Blind Date was such an opportunity for us all to work with Blake Edwards and just let it loose… And as you can see… We did just that… When Blake said go we just went… Can’t believe it’s been 39 years… So blessed… Thank you all🙏✨🩷✨🌸
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Basinger’s longtime hairdresser, Mitch Stone, commented, writing, “Ahh, love it! The drunk test scene was the funniest! And don’t forget to tell them that you almost drowned at the bottom of the pool until the lighting guy noticed and jumped in to save you, saved you!❤️❤️❤️.”
The film marked the first time Willis was credited as a film lead. The actor, 70, has led a private life since his 2023 frontotemporal dementia (FTD) diagnosis.
His wife, Emma Heming Willis, shared an update on the actor’s health in January 2026, while appearing on Cameron Oaks Rogers’ podcast, Conversations with Cam. There, she explained that the actor is unaware of his diagnosis.
“I think that’s like the blessing and the curse of this, is that he never connected the dots that he had this disease, and I’m really happy about that. I’m really happy that he doesn’t know about it,” she shared about Bruce, noting he has anosognosia.
Credit: Stefanie Keenan/Getty
Per the Cleveland Clinic, anosognosia is a condition where “your brain can’t recognize one or more other health conditions you have,” and is commonly seen in people with mental health disorders.
“People think this might be denial, like they don’t want to go to the doctor because they’re like, ‘I’m fine, I’m fine,’ actually, this is the anosognosia that comes into play. It’s not denial. It’s just that their brain is changing. This is a part of the disease.”
Emma shared that Bruce is “still very much present in his body” and explained that as his dementia has progressed, “we have progressed along with him. We’ve adapted along with him.”
“He has a way of connecting with me, our children that might not be the same as you would connect with your loved one, but it’s still very beautiful,” she shared. “It’s still very meaningful. It’s just — it’s just different. You just learn how to adapt.”