Bruce Willis Faces the Challenges of Dementia, Says Close Friend Glenn Gordon Caron

Struggling with Communication

Bruce Willis, the iconic actor known for his role in Die Hard, is facing difficulties in communication, according to his close friend and Moonlighting creator, Glenn Gordon Caron. Caron recently spoke to the New York Post about the actor’s ongoing struggle with dementia, revealing that Willis is “not totally verbal” anymore.

“My sense is the first one to three minutes he knows who I am,” Caron mentioned, emphasizing that Willis still recognizes him during their monthly meetings.

A Shift from the Past

Caron noted that the actor, who used to be an avid reader but kept it a secret, has stopped reading altogether. He added that while the essential characteristics that make Bruce Willis who he is are still intact, the zest for life or “joie de vivre” appears to be missing.

“When you’re with him, you know that he’s Bruce and you’re grateful that he’s there, but the joie de vivre is gone,” Caron lamented.

A Longstanding Friendship

Glenn Gordon Caron first collaborated with Willis on the television series Moonlighting, where Willis portrayed the character David Addison Jr. opposite Cybill Shephard’s Maddie Hayes from 1985 to 1989. Since then, Caron has maintained a close relationship with Willis, his current spouse Emma Heming Willis, and his three elder children from his previous marriage to Demi Moore.

“He loved life and … just adored waking up every morning and trying to live life to its fullest,” Caron reminisced.

Facing a Tough Diagnosis

In 2022, the family publicly announced that Willis was retiring from acting due to a diagnosis of aphasia, a condition affecting language skills. This year, they disclosed that his condition has progressed to dementia. During an appearance on the Today show, Emma Heming Willis spoke candidly about the impact of the diagnosis on their family.

“It’s hard on the person diagnosed, it’s also hard on the family. And that is no different for Bruce, or myself, or our girls,” she said, emphasizing that dementia is a “family disease.”