BRUCE'S Emotional GOODBYE

As the beloved actor's health fades, his heartbroken family and friends fear that his 69th birthday could be his last

On his birthday last year, Bruce Willis' ones shared loved mixed feelings. "Today is not necessarily an easy day, because it's a day full of so deep love, and our grief really does show us the depth of our loving for someone," his daughter Scout posted on Instagram on March 19, a month after the family announced that Bruce was suffering from frontotemporal dementia (FTD). His wife, Emma Heming, added that she "started the morning by crying" and admitted that looking at videos for a tribute montage was "like a knife in my heart. I do have times of sadness every day. Grief, every day. And I'm really feeling it today." This year, they're bracing themselves for an emotional goodbye. "Bruce's disease has progressed quickly, and he can't really communicate anymore," says a source, adding that the actor's wife, five daughters, and ex-wife Demi Moore are planning to gather to celebrate him as he turns 69 while other friends have been rushing to spend time with him before it's too late. "Those who love Bruce want to cherish every last moment with him. They all realize this could be his last birthday." 

WARNING SIGNS

Recently, he's lost his appetite and can't stop losing weight, says an insider. "Bruce's family and friends are extremely anxious because he doesn't express hunger much," which can be an indication that his disease has progressed to the end stage. "According to family members, the challenge at home is making sure that he's getting enough to eat, that he's not skipping mealtime, and that his diet is filled with foods that have the chance to improve his health instead of subtract from it.