Bruce Willis' daughter Tallulah gives emotional update on her dad amid aphasia and dementia battle

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 Bruce Willis' daughter Tallulah gave an emotional update on her famous father amid his aphasia and dementia battle.

The 30-year-old actress got candid about the condition of her 69-year-old dad - who was seen on a drive on Saturday - during an appearance on Today Wednesday morning.

The Sixth Sense star's family revealed his diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in February 2023 shortly after he retired from acting due to his struggle with a brain disorder known as aphasia. 

Tallulah gave an update on the Die Hard actor on the morning chat and news program as she said: 'He’s doing stable, which in this situation is good. And it’s hard; there’s painful days – but there’s so much love.

'And it really shown me to not take any moment for granted and I really do think that we'd be best friends. I really do think that he is very proud of me.'

Bruce Willis ' daughter Tallulah gave an emotional update on her famous father amid his aphasia and dementia battle

The Sixth Sense star's family revealed his diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in February 2023 shortly after he retired from acting due to his struggle with a brain disorder known as aphasia; Tallulah and Bruce are seen in an Instagram post from earlier this year

She also stressed the importance of being in the moment and present with her father.

Tallulah also spoke about navigating autism after being diagnosed in the last year at the age of 29.

She explained: 'I was misdiagnosed for many years, so only at 29 got my diagnosis, which is very common, specifically for adult women… 

'I'm very high functioning autistic, and my struggles are more in sensory, so being very sensitive to the world, and rather than more commonly people assume it's communication.' 

The star also opened up about her experience in receiving the diagnosis.

Tallulah said: 'It was very emotional. It was relief. If I'm being honest, I really hated myself, and I thought I was very broken, so to learn that the elements of myself that I felt were maladies or wrong or just too much for this world are actually okay, and they just require maybe a little bit more tools.' 

Meanwhile, Bruce is father to five daughters: Mabel Ray, 12, and Evelyn, 10, with wife Emma Heming Willis, 46; and Rumer, 36, Scout, 33, and Tallulah, 30, with ex-wife Demi Moore, 61.

Tallulah's mom Moore, 61, also recently updated fans on her ex-spouse's health during a Friday appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, saying that 'given the givens, he is in a stable place.' 

Tallulah gave an update on the Die Hard actor on the morning chat and news program as she said: 'He’s doing stable, which in this situation is good. And it’s hard; there’s painful days – but there’s so much love'

Tallulah also spoke about navigating autism after being diagnosed in the last year at the age of 29 as she explained: 'I was misdiagnosed for many years, so only at 29 got my diagnosis, which is very common, specifically for adult women'

Moore, who had been wed to Willis from 1987-2000, opened up on how she has advised her children to deal with the yearslong family health crisis.

'What I say to my kids is you meet them where they're at,' Moore said in the appearance. 'You don't hold on to who they were or what you want them to be, but who they are in this moment.

'And from that, there is such beauty and joy and loving and sweetness. When I'm in LA, I go over every week, and I really treasure the time that we all share.'

In an August 22 post on Instagram Stories, Rumer Willis shared an image of herself holding her father's hand while answering a question about how the actor has been doing amid his health woes.

Rumer - who was seen with a mystery man Sunday - said, 'He is great. I love him so much. Thank you.'

In May, Rumer said on the Today show that her father had been doing 'good' and was bonding with her one-year-old daughter Louetta, who she shares with ex Derek Richard Thomas.

'I actually got to see him right before I came out' to New York, she said, and 'Lou is just starting to walk a little bit, and she was walking over to him, and it was so sweet.

'It’s so nice because I feel like my dad is just like - he’s a girl dad, through and through. It almost unlocks that kind of little-kid, girl-dad thing. He’s so sweet with her.'

Tallulah's mom Moore, 61, also recently updated fans on her ex-spouse's health during a Friday appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, saying that 'given the givens, he is in a stable place'

Rumer in the appearance said that she and her relatives have been forthcoming about the family health issue in hopes of spreading awareness to others in a similar circumstance.

'Our vulnerability and transparency as a family about what he’s going through to me is so important,' she said, 'because if it can have any impact on another family that is struggling in any way with something like this, or bring more attention to the disease in hopes of finding a cure or anything that can be of service to anybody else, I think is really important.'

Willis is more than two years removed from his health battle going public after relatives including his daughters, wife and ex-wife issued a joint statement via Instagram March 30, 2022 announcing his aphasia diagnosis.

They said that the Hollywood icon 'has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities.

In an August 22 post, Rumer shared an image of herself holding her father's hand while answering a question about how the actor has been doing amid his health woes 

Willis and his wife Emma Heming Willis were pictured embracing this past June 

'As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him. This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support.

They continued: 'We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him. As Bruce always says, "Live it up" and together we plan to do just that.'

The family subsequently issued a statement on February 16, 2023 announcing that Willis had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD), calling it 'the most common form of dementia' and noting that 'there are no treatments for the disease' currently.

'As Bruce's condition advances, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs far more awareness and research,' the family said. 'Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others, and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately.

The actor is father to Mabel Ray, 12, (L) and Evelyn, 10, with wife Emma

Rumer Willis, Demi Moore, Bruce Willis, Scout Willis, Emma Heming Willis and Tallulah Willis were pictured at an event in LA on September 23, 2019

The actor's family took to Instagram March of 2022 to reveal he was stepping away from acting following his diagnosis with aphasia 

'We know in our hearts that - if he could today - he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connectedness with those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families.'

The Mayo Clinic defines aphasia as 'a condition that affects your ability to communicate' that 'can affect your speech, as well as the way you write and understand both spoken and written language.'

The actor's family did not announce what caused his bout with aphasia, which has a number of potential causes. 

The condition could occur following a head injury or stroke, or can be a predecessor to a brain tumor or Alzheimer's disease. Patients who are living with the condition are typically treated with speech therapy and taught ways to communicate non-verbally.