Bruce Willis sings with his family in birthday tribute video from ex Demi Moore
(CNN) — Demi Moore has shared a touching message dedicated to her ex-husband Bruce Willis on his first birthday since being diagnosed with dementia.
Moore and Willis were married from 1987 to 2000 and share three daughters: Rumer, Scout and Tallulah.
On Sunday, the Hollywood actress offered fans a glimpse into the “Die Hard” actor’s 68th birthday celebrations by posting an Instagram video that showed Willis celebrating his day with Moore, his current wife Emma Heming Willis, his daughters and other family members.
“Happy birthday, BW! So glad we could celebrate you today,” Moore captioned the clip, which showed Willis’ loved ones singing “Happy Birthday” to the retired actor. “Love you and love our family. Thank you to everyone for the love and warm wishes — we all feel them.”
After joining in with the singing, the “Die Hard” star was then seen blowing out candles on his birthday pie.
Earlier in the day, Heming Willis posted a candid message about caring for someone living with dementia, saying she was feeling grief and sadness. The couple married in 2009 and have two daughters, Mabel and Evelyn.
“Sometimes in our lives, we have to put our big girl panties on and get to it, and that’s what I’m doing,” she said in the short video. “But I do have times of sadness every day, grief every day and I’m really feeling it today on his birthday.”
Last month, Willis’ family announced that his speaking disorder, aphasia, had progressed into a form of dementia called frontotemporal dementia, or FTD.
“Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead,” they said in an update shared online. “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.”
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, FTD refers to “a group of disorders caused by progressive nerve cell loss in the brain’s frontal lobes (the areas behind your forehead) or its temporal lobes.” These areas of the brain are generally associated with personality, behavior and language.