Bruce Willis footage resurfaces amid ‘cruel’ dementia diagnosis

Footage of Bruce Willis from 2018 has gone viral in the wake of the devastating update on the Die Hard star’s health battle.

Bruce Willis. Picture: Supplied/Comedy Central

Footage of Bruce Willis defiantly declaring, “Nothing can keep me down,” has gone viral on social media in the wake of his devastating frontotemporal dementia diagnosis.

Willis’ remarks were recorded during a Comedy Central roast that took place back in 2018, where he was mercilessly mocked by celebrities including Martha Stewart and ex-wife Demi Moore.

At the conclusion of the event, the Die Hard star, now 67, took to the stage to deliver a rebuttal speech, stating: “Nothing can keep me down. I’ve been attacked by terrorists, asteroids, film critics, music critics, divorce lawyers, male pattern baldness, and none of it stopped me because I’m still Bruce f**king Willis!”

Willis’ roast was a huge hit. Picture: Supplied/Comedy Central

The action hero received a standing ovation for his rousing remarks, with the clip showing his three oldest daughters — Rumer, Tallulah and Scout — cheering in the audience, reports the New York Post.

His daughters gave him a standing ovation. Picture: Supplied/Comedy Central

The video was widely shared across Twitter, just hours after Willis’ family revealed his heartbreaking health news.

“You are a true #legend,” one fan cheered above a retweet of the viral video.

“A LEGEND,” another user concurred. “Frontotemporal dementia is something no one should have to go through!”

Ex-wife Moore, 60, took to Instagram on Thursday to reveal Willis’ “cruel” dementia diagnosis.

“Our family wanted to start by expressing our deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support and wonderful stories we have all received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis,” she wrote. “In the spirit of that, we wanted to give you an update about our beloved husband, father and friend since we now have a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing.

“Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD),” the Ghost star continued. “Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.”

Moore’s message was co-signed by her daughters — Rumer, 34, Scout, 31, and Tallulah, 29 — as well as Willis’ current wife, Emma Heming-Willis, 44, and her daughters Mabel, 10, and Evelyn, 8.

Frontotemporal is the most common form of dementia in people under 60 years old, and there is currently no cure.

Dr. Allison B. Reiss of NYU Long Island School of Medicine, told The Post that the disease — commonly known as FTD — is “actually a group of brain disorders that cause progressive degeneration of the neurons in the brain.”

People with FTD have relatively fewer memory problems compared to other forms of dementia, Reiss stated. However, like other dementia-related diseases, they could exhibit emotional outbursts, poor manners and excessive familiarity with strangers, or go on to have muscular dysfunction.

Willis’ aphasia prompted him to retire from acting early last year, as the brain disorder affects his ability to communicate. That announcement came amid reports that alleged his cognitive issues were not necessarily a new development.

An insider said at the time that the actor had recently used “earpieces, hearing things, for them to feed him the lines” on sets, and that “it was increasingly difficult to have him on-screen.”

Meanwhile, on Friday, daughter Scout shared a selfie to Instagram Stories and added that she was feeling “emotionally tired and a bit overwhelmed” after news of her dad’s new diagnosis broke.

Scout received support from her sisters Rumer and Tallulah, who re-shared her Story on their own accounts, adding that they are “grateful” for the support that has poured in since making their announcement.

This article originally appeared in the New York Post and was reproduced with permission.

Originally published as Bruce Willis footage resurfaces amid ‘cruel’ dementia diagnosis