Earlier this year, Die Hard superstar Bruce Willis, 67, was diagnosed with aphasia, something that his family shared with the public. The news was both startling and upsetting to many, as the disease is degenerative in nature.
The longtime friend of Willis and fellow Expendables cast member Sylvester Stallone recently spoke out about his peer.
Stallone, 75, described his decades-long friend as being “incommunicado” ever since the diagnosis.
“Bruce is going through some really, really difficult times. So he’s been sort of incommunicado. That kills me. It’s so sad,” Sly told The Hollywood Reporter. After the initial announcement of Willis’s diagnosis, ”Sly” sent some heartwarming words to his fellow colleague.
“We go back a long way, praying for the best for you and your wonderful family,” he wrote in an Instagram post.
The two megastars became well-acquainted years ago, from their mutual involvement with Planet Hollywood in 1991. Willis’s ex-wife was involved in the project, as was actor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Later, the friends both starred in the Expendables film franchise in 2010. Reportedly, the two began a feud while filming the sequel to the film, and Willis even wound up dropping out of the third one as a result.
Thankfully, the two repaired their relationship over the years and often spoke kindly of one another in the press and online.
In March 2022, Bruce Willis and his family announced that the actor would be retiring from acting because of a diagnosis that made it almost impossible for him to continue. The actor was diagnosed with Aphasia, which is a cognitive disorder that impacts and impairs a person’s ability to express and also comprehend language. Willis has been staying out of the public eye ever since the family announced his diagnosis and retirement from acting. According to reports, it seems as though Willis isn’t leaving the house much – instead, he’s “trapped” in his own mind.
Bruce’s wife, Emma, and their children are now doing all they can to take care of Bruce. At the same time, things aren’t exactly easy for her. Speaking with The Bump in May, the mother-of-two explained that caring for everyone in the household has taken its toll on her own health as well.
“Someone told me not long ago that when you over-care for someone, you end up under-caring for yourself. That stopped me in my tracks and really resonated with me,” Emma explained.
“I don’t mother myself perfectly but I know that I have some basic baseline needs that are a must… I think it’s important to find that one thing that makes you feel good and build from there.”
