Rumer Willis is opening up about the emotional shift she’s witnessed in her father, Bruce Willis, as he continues his battle with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). During the May 18 episode of celebrity stylist Maeve Reilly’s The Inside Edit podcast, the 37-year-old actress reflected on how her relationship with the legendary “Die Hard” star has evolved in recent years.
Rumer revealed there’s been an unexpected sense of closeness and tenderness. “I love getting to go over and see him,” Rumer shared. “I'm so grateful that I have a child that got to meet him because I don't know if my sisters will have that.”
© Getty Images for goopRumer is mom to 2-year-old daughter Louetta Isley Thomas Willis, whom she shares with ex Derek Richard Thomas. She explained that watching her daughter spend time with Bruce has become especially meaningful as his condition progresses.
The actor, now 71, shares daughters Rumer, Scout LaRue Willis, and Tallulah Belle Willis with ex-wife Demi Moore, along with daughters Mabel Ray Willis and Evelyn Penn Willis with wife Emma Heming Willis.
© @emmahemingwillisBruce’s family first announced his aphasia diagnosis in 2022 before later confirming he had frontotemporal dementia, a degenerative brain disorder that affects communication, behavior, and personality.
Despite the heartbreaking reality of the disease, Rumer said she still feels deeply connected to her father during their visits together. “I'm so grateful that I get to go see him even though our time together is different now,” she explained. “There’s a sweetness. He's always been this, kind of, macho dude and now there's just such a tenderness that maybe being Bruce Willis might not have allowed him in a certain way.”
She also praised her blended family for remaining united throughout the difficult experience. “We don't do it perfectly but we're always striving to continue to create connection and find ways to be with each other and support each other through something that is kind of unprecedented,” she said.
© GC ImagesRumer acknowledged that questions about Bruce’s health can be difficult to answer honestly. “People always ask me this question and I think it's kind of a hard one to answer because the truth is that anybody with FTD is not doing great,” she wrote. “But he's doing okay in terms of somebody who's dealing with frontotemporal dementia.”
She went on to explain that traditional ideas of wellness no longer fully apply in situations like this. “The normal parameters of how we gauge wellbeing don't really work anymore,” she shared. “[I'm so happy] that I still see a spark of him and he can feel the love that I'm giving and so that feels really nice.”
© @rumerwillisFor Rumer, the most meaningful moments are now spent together. “I just feel grateful that I get to go over there with Louetta, and we get to spend time with him,” she added. “I get to feel the love that he has for me and that he puts out for me and that I can love him and be with him.”
