Overview

• In new ABC interviews, Emma Heming Willis said his brain is failing and he is losing the ability to communicate, with loss of speech now the central symptom.
• She noted he remains physically mobile and generally in good condition even as cognitive decline deepens.
• She described brief flashes of his former personality, such as a sparkle in his eyes or a grin, that lift the family before quickly fading.
• She recounted the strain of caregiving and said the family has learned nonverbal ways to connect as speaking becomes harder.
• Prior disclosures detailed aphasia in 2022 and an FTD diagnosis in 2023, a progressive, incurable disease that can alter behavior and language and may limit patients’ awareness of their illness.