Wife’s New Memoir Reveals Bruce Willis’ Battle with Dementia in His Last Acting Days

Bruce Willis’s health decline was first publicly acknowledged in 2022 with aphasia, later diagnosed as FTD, leading to his retirement.

Set to be published on September 9, 2025, in her upcoming memoir “The Unexpected Journey,” Heming candidly delves into her spouse Willis’ determined effort to sustain his career amidst the challenges of declining health.

Within the pages, Heming recounts the Hollywood icon’s final years grappling with the onset of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and reveals the collaborative efforts made by colleagues and companions to support him as his condition posed obstacles to his acting.

According to excerpts cited by The Daily Beast, directors began tailoring scripts to reduce Willis’ dialogue.

A longtime friend was even brought in to feed him lines discreetly through an earpiece during production. These quiet accommodations enabled Willis to continue acting in films like “Assassin” (2023) and the “Detective Knight trilogy” (2022–2023) without alerting audiences to the challenges he was facing.

Taking to Instagram, Heming shared the deeper purpose behind her upcoming book, “The Unexpected Journey.”

She explained that the memoir was born out of her own experience navigating her husband Willis’ diagnosis, and her desire to offer support to others facing similar challenges.

“I really wrote the book that I wish someone had handed me the day we got our diagnosis with no hope, no direction … not much,” she shared. “Today, life looks different for me and our family because I was able to put support into place.”

Heming emphasized that the book “isn’t a memoir, it’s a self-help guide for caregivers, written to hold space for our heartbreak and our healing.”

In the comment section of Heming’s post, fans praised her for creating the book due to the valuable resources it contains, especially for family members of individuals with dementia.

One user wrote: “I can’t wait to read this! I am just starting my journey of caregiving for my husband with BvFTD. You’re an inspiration.”

Another said, “I cannot wait to read. Thank you for writing this. When my mom was diagnosed with Lewy Body dementia, I almost had a nervous breakdown from just the fear of what my caregiver journey would be.”

They added, “I had no guidance or support and didn’t know where to turn. Your book will help so many. Sending you thanks and prayers to you and Bruce, and your family.”

Prior to Heming’s memoir, a 2022 Los Angeles Times investigation had shed light on the cognitive challenges Willis was quietly facing on film sets before his official retirement.

In the final three years of his acting career, Willis starred in 22 low-budget action movies, and as the cameras rolled, those around him began to notice unsettling changes.

Once known for his sharp delivery and commanding presence, Willis had become noticeably disoriented.

He relied heavily on an earpiece to be fed his lines and at times struggled to stay oriented, occasionally forgetting the context of the scene, or even why he was on set.

Director Jesse V. Johnson, who worked with Willis on “White Elephant” and had known him from earlier in his stuntman days, recalled the shift.

“It was clear that he was not the Bruce I remembered,” he said, per the Daily Mail. Johnson recounted a moment during filming when Willis turned to the crew and said, “I know why you’re here, and I know why you’re here, but why am I here?”