Bruce Willis’ daughter Tallulah has opened up about her father’s battle with dementia after sharing a heartfelt post to Instagram on Wednesday.
Last year, the Die Hard star retired from showbiz due to his battle with the brain condition ‘aphasia’, which causes the patient’s language skills to deteriorate.
And now it has been revealed that the 68-year-old is losing his ‘joy for life’ and ‘language skills’ after developing frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in March.
Tallulah, 29, posted a selection of photos of her and her dad in the sweet snaps as she beams with her dad’s arm around her as they cozy up together on an armchair.
The actress captioned the post, “Damn these pics coming tonight. You are my whole damn heart and I am so proud to be your Tallulah Belle Bruce Willis.”
‘You are my whole damn heart’: Bruce Willis’ daughter Tallulah, 29, has shared a series of emotional snaps with her father during his battle with dementia
Tragic: Last year, the Die Hard star retired from showbiz amid his battle with the brain condition ‘aphasia’, which worsens the patient’s language skills
Tallulah also shared a photo of her driver’s license, revealing that ‘Bruce’ is also one of her middle names, giving her an even closer bond with her father.
In another photo, the star shared a photo of Bruce in his younger days as he beamed as he took to the stage in a pair of dark shades and a fez hat.
Fans and friends rushed to send their support to the star as they sent their love in the comments.
While many wrote a simple love heart emoji, friend and actress Kate Beckinsale wrote: ‘In this together I will always be there for you.’
It comes after Bruce’s wife Emma Hemming opened up about struggling with guilt over having resources that others don’t amid her legendary actor husband’s battle with dementia.
The 45-year-old shared that she has been the support system for her other half and revealed that even though the process has been tough, she has gained a much more positive view of herself now that her husband suffers from frontotemporal dementia (FTD). ).
The British and American model wrote a powerful op-ed for Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper when she got candid while writing: ‘I struggle with guilt knowing that I have resources that others don’t.
‘If I can take a walk to clear my head, it is not lost on me that not all care partners can do that. If what I share about our family’s journey gets the attention of the press, I know there are many thousands of untold, unheard stories, all deserving of compassion and care.”
Throwback: In another photo, the star shared a photo of Bruce in his younger days as he beamed as he took the stage in a pair of dark shades and a fez hat
Strong bond: Tallulah also shared a photo of her driver’s license, revealing that ‘Bruce’ is also one of her middle names, giving her an even closer bond with her father
Support: Fans and friends rushed to send their support to the star as they sent their love in the comments, including a sweet response from friend and actress Kate Beckinsale
Support system: Emma Heming, 45, recently opened up about her struggles with guilt over having access to resources that others don’t, amid the legendary actor’s health struggles (pictured in August 2010)
Opening: Tallulah recently revealed why her family has been very open about her father’s ‘aggressive’ dementia diagnosis, while also providing a new health update on the retired actor
Update: Drew Barrymore asked the actress what “state” Bruce is currently in, with Tallulah responding with, “He’s the same… which I think I’ve learned in this regard is the best you can ask for”
Emma went on to explain that it is a double-edged sword because even though it weighs heavily on her conscience, she knows that being so open about the issues can help others.
She continues, “At the same time, I see that what I share is important to others who may be struggling, and that in some small way they feel seen and understood. I want people to know that when I hear from another family affected by FTD, I hear the same story of grief, loss and immense sadness from our family in their family.
“It is important to me to be an advocate on behalf of those families who do not have the time, energy or resources to advocate for themselves.”
Tallulah also discussed why her family has chosen to be very open about her father’s health.
Speaking on The Drew Barrymore Show earlier this month, Bruce and Demi Moore’s youngest daughter said, “Well, I think it’s twofold.”
‘On the one hand it’s about who we are as a family, but it’s also very important for us to spread awareness about FTD…’
She added, “If we can take something that we’re struggling with as a family and individually and use it to help other people, turn it around and make it something beautiful, then that’s really special to us.”
“And part of what has been a really beautiful way for me to heal through this is to become like an archaeologist for my dad’s stuff — his world — for his little trinkets and doo-dads,” Tallulah said.
The beauty also recalled how important music is to Bruce and was a big part of growing up with her sisters.
“It’s a big part of how I spend time with him now, playing music and just being in this energy of love. It’s really special.’