Bruce Willis thanks first responders amid LA fires, health battle

Bruce Willis made his first public appearance since his diagnosis with frontotemporal dementia to thank first responders who continue to battle the Los Angeles wildfires.

In an Instagram post shared by his wife Emma Heming Willis on Thursday, Willis can be seen shaking hands with a Los Angeles police officer and posing for a photo. Heming Willis set the black-and-white video to the Led Zeppelin song “Going to California.”

“Spotting a first responder, Bruce never missed an opportunity to show his gratitude with a heartfelt handshake and a “thank you for your service.” Yesterday was no different,” she wrote in the caption.

The video apparently marks the first time Willis has been seen in public since 2022, after his family announced that the actor had initially been diagnosed with the language disorder aphasia and would therefore quit acting. In 2023, the Willis family shared that Bruce had been given a more specific diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, FTD is caused by “a group of disorders that progressively damage the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain.” This damage leads to changes in thinking and behavior. Symptoms may include unusual behavior, emotional problems, difficulty communicating, difficulty at work, and difficulty walking. The condition has no cure.

Since his diagnosis, Heming Willis has been the actor’s caregiver.

“While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis,” read a statement released at the time by Willis’ family. “FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and which can strike anyone. There is currently no treatment for this disease, a reality that we hope to change in the years to come. As Bruce’s condition progresses, we hope that all media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that requires much more awareness and research.

While appearing on NBC Today show in 2023, Heming Willis admitted it was “hard to know” whether the actor understood his diagnosis.

“It’s hard for the person diagnosed, it’s also hard for the family. And it’s no different for Bruce, or me, or our daughters. When they say it’s a family illness, it really is,” she said at the time.