Bruce Willis smiles as he interacts with police officers during a bout with dementia

Bruce Willis recently made a rare public appearance to thank first responders at the Los Angeles wildfires, marking his first regular sight since his 2022 diagnosis of aphasia, later confirmed as frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

his wife Emma Heming Willishas been open about the actor's health issues, emphasizing honesty with his children while raising awareness of FTD.

Despite the emotional strain, Bruce Willis' wife remains committed to supporting their family and honoring their 17-year relationship.

Bruce was seen in a short clip personally thanking first responders during the Los Angeles wildfires.

Sharing the moment on Instagram, his wife Emma posted a black-and-white video of the 69-year-old actor wearing a New York Yankees cap as he warmly shook hands with a Los Angeles police officer and posed for a photo.

Bruce looked happy in the clip as he interacted with first responders. In the caption of her post, Emma, ​​46, mentioned that the video was filmed the day before.

“When spotted by a first responder, Bruce never misses an opportunity to show his appreciation with a warm handshake and 'thank you for your service.' Yesterday was no different,” she wrote.

Bruce's daughter with ex-wife Demi Moore, Tallulah Willis, expressed her joy after watching her father's video, saying: “It makes my heart so full.”

Fans also got emotional seeing Bruce through his battle with dementia.

One person said: “WOW, great, Bruce looks great. (I was a 24/7 carer for my vascular dementia dad)… It's so important to get out in the sun and socialize. Willis family, you're doing a great job.”

Another fan noted: “He's always been great with the community and a great person. Cognitive deficits can't take that away from him.”

The Instagram clip marks Bruce's first public sighting since 2022, after his family announced he had been diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that forced him to give up acting.

In 2023, the Willis family revealed that Bruce had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a progressive disorder that causes the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain to shrink.

On December 29, Emma, ​​who married Bruce in 2009, shared a heartfelt Instagram post honoring the anniversary of their first date.

The photo showed the couple standing in shallow water at sunset, wearing swimsuits. “We are 17 years old,” the actress wrote in the caption.

She openly reflected on how the once anxiety-filled anniversaries are now a mix of emotions.

“Honestly, they stir up all the senses, leaving a heavy heart and a pit in your stomach,” she admitted.

Emma shared that she allows herself to sit with the pain and grief for 30 minutes, asking, “Why him, why us.”

After that, though, she chooses to move on and focus on what remains: unconditional love.

“I feel blessed to know that and it's because of him. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat,” she added in her anniversary post.

In an October interview with Town & Country MagazineHemming revealed she has no intention of lying to her young daughters Mabel, 12, and Evelyn, 10, about their father Bruce's health.

The model told the publication that the children experienced a “deterioration” in the movie star's health before he was even diagnosed with dementia.

“I've never tried to sugarcoat anything for them. They've grown up with Willis, which has been going down over the years,” Emma said. “I'm not trying to protect them from it.”

She also revealed that Willis' disease is commonly “misdiagnosed” and “misunderstood,” stating that getting the correct diagnosis helped her learn what the actor was going through.

“Finally getting a diagnosis was key,” she said, “so I could learn what frontotemporal dementia was and I could educate our children.”

Hemming also shared that the signs of Willis' battle with dementia weren't immediately apparent, noting that the disease was “whispering.”

Last month, Bruce's ex-wife Demi Moore gave an update on his well-being in his battle with dementia.

In an interview with CNNThe 62-year-old actress explained that the actor is in a “very stable place,” but it hasn't been easy watching him struggle.

“He's in a very solid place right now, given what he's got,” she shared. “And I've shared this before, but I really mean it so sincerely. It's so important for anyone who's doing this to meet them where they're at, and there's so much love and joy from that place.”

Moore added that watching a loved one struggle with the condition is “very difficult” and “not something I wish on anyone.”

“There is great loss, but great beauty and gifts can also come from it,” she added.