Bruce Willis' fans are concerned for ailing actor after he appears to be missing a tooth in new vide
BRUCE Willis' fans have grown concerned after the beloved actor was missing a tooth in his recent birthday tribute.
The star is dealing with "untreatable" frontotemporal dementia.
Over the weekend, Bruce's family gathered to celebrate his 68th birthday, joining him for a touching rendition of Happy Birthday.
Ex-wife Demi Moore, current wife Emma and daughters Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah were all present for the party along with a few other guests.
But as the famous actor sang, fans noticed he was missing a tooth.
While no explanation was given about what happened to his top tooth, fans online shared their worry - and hopes for Bruce's future.
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"Bruce is missing a tooth," noted one tweeter.
Another begged: "Does no one care Bruce is missing a front tooth? What happened there?"
While a third person slammed: "Is somebody really on here talking about Bruce Willis’ tooth? He’s 68 years old and going through dementia. What is he supposed to look like?"
In the celebratory birthday video, Bruce appeared to be in good spirits, singing at least a few words to the song, chatting with other revelers, and blowing out the candles on his birthday pie.
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As everyone sang, he smiled, talked, and made hand gestures.
At one point, he appeared to stumble slightly, perhaps simply losing his footing.
He stumbled a bit again after giving a major effort to blow out the few candles stuck inside the pie.
The entire family had a little chuckle at the moment – Bruce included.
After the song concluded, everyone shouted: "Hip Hip Hooray."
The Hollywood star made a lassoing motion with his hands and even shouted "hooray at one point."
He was then embraced and kissed by a few folks present for the sweet little bash.
Demi captioned the post: "Happy birthday, BW! So glad we could celebrate you today. Love you and love our family. Thank you to everyone for the love and warm wishes — we all feel them."
SAD DIAGNOSIS
Bruce retired from acting in 2022 after being diagnosed with aphasia.
Last month, his family revealed he was diagnosed with "untreatable" frontotemporal dementia.
Frontotemporal dementia is the most common form of dementia in people under 60 and symptoms include personality changes, obsessive behavior, and speaking difficulties.
Bruce's daughter Rumer shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram.
The post explained that Bruce's condition was sadly "not treatable" and it "has progressed."
It read: "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.
"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."
The statement went on to detail the "painful" disease the Pulp Fiction star is facing.
"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).
"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..."
'CRUEL DISEASE'
The family's statement continued on The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration website further detailing the difficult toll the disease takes.
It read: "FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone. For people under 60, FTD is the most common form of dementia, and because getting the diagnosis can take years, FTD is likely much more prevalent than we know.
"Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead. 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.
"Bruce always believed in using his voice in the world to help others, and to raise awareness about important issues both publicly and privately. We know in our hearts that - if he could today - he would want to respond by bringing global attention and connectedness with those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families."
The message went on: "Ours is just one family with a loved one who suffers from FTD, and we encourage others facing it to seek out the wealth of information and support available through AFTD (@theaftd, theaftd.org).
"And for those of you who have been fortunate enough to not have any personal experience with FTD, we hope that you will take the time to learn about it, and support AFTD’s mission in whatever way you can.
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"Bruce has always found joy in life – and has helped everyone he knows to do the same. It has meant the world to see that sense of care echoed back to him and to all of us. We have been so moved by the love you have all shared for our dear husband, father, and friend during this difficult time."
"Your continued compassion, understanding, and respect will enable us to help Bruce live as full a life as possible," the family concluded.
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