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![Actor Bruce Willis attends a movie premiere in New York on Oct. 11, 2019. (AP)](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/photos/Bruce_Willis_/15c19b770695e52daa0fbbd6c4a2ff46.jpg)
![Actor Bruce Willis attends a movie premiere in New York on Oct. 11, 2019. (AP)](https://static.politifact.com/CACHE/images/politifact/photos/Bruce_Willis_/ed1244be4e9349f6d0f0bf83b20406c5.jpg)
Actor Bruce Willis attends a movie premiere in New York on Oct. 11, 2019. (AP)
A July 23 Facebook post said actor Bruce Willis was dead, but he’s not
Actor Bruce Willis’ family announced in 2022 that Willis had been diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder that affects how people communicate. About a year later, the family revealed a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia.
People who have frontotemporal dementia can experience symptoms such as changing personalities and language loss; the symptoms worsen over time. There’s no cure or treatment.
But we found no evidence that Willis has died, as a recent Facebook post claims. Death hoaxes about Willis have circulated the internet since his health condition was made public.
"R.I.P," reads text next to a photo of Willis, alongside the dates "1955-2024."
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This post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.)
We looked for but found no credible news stories or statements from Willis’ family saying that the actor died.
His wife, Emma Heming Willis, has spoken publicly and actively posted about frontotemporal dementia and Willis on her Instagram account, but recent posts make no mention of his supposed death. Rather, they’re about dogs, the Fourth of July and frontotemporal dementia awareness. She shared photos of him in a June 27 post about her birthday celebrations, and before that on June 16 in a Father’s Day post.
We rate claims Willis died False.
Our Sources
Facebook post, July 23, 2024
ABC 7 Chicago, Bruce Willis' wife opens up about 'desperately' needing support after his dementia diagnosis, May 8, 2024
The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, A Statement from the Willis Family, Feb. 16, 2023
Emma Heming Willis Instagram account, visited July 24, 2024
Mayo Clinic, Frontotemporal dementia, visited July 24, 2024
Johns Hopkins Medicine, Aphasia, visited July 24, 2024
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A July 23 Facebook post said actor Bruce Willis was dead, but he’s not
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