Bruce Willis: The Actor and His Health Troubles

Introduction

Bruce Willis is an American actor recognized for his many iconic roles, from John McClane in the Die Hard series to colorful characters in the Red series. His name is synonymous with action and he continues to remain an iconic heartthrob in Hollywood even in his sixties. However, like most of us, even the action star has endured several health battles throughout his life.

His Struggle With Lyme Disease

In 2020, Willis confirmed an ongoing battle with Lyme disease, which he first suspected he had contracted in the 90s. It is an infectious disease that can leave sufferers feeling exhausted and pains in the joints as well as difficulty focusing. In an interview with People, he stated that he had endured “jerky” movements due to the illness and went on to explain “The lasting effects from that… the hard part was getting a diagnosis. It was depressing. Because the only way you can treat it is you stay ahead of it and get good medical care.”

His Battle With Hearing Loss

While Lyme Disease has been the main health condition that Willis has been keen to draw attention to, he has also lived with partial hearing loss since he was a child. Growing up, Willis dealt with progressively worsening hearing impairments in both ears, and needed to depend on hearing aids for most of his adult life until he got a cochlear implant (a device surgically implanted in the inner ear which provides sound signals to the brain) in the late 2000s.

Living with Lyme Disease and Hearing Loss

Willis won’t let the health conditions define who he is. He successfully continues to blend into mainstream Hollywood without drawing too much attention to the more challenging aspects of his health. He has proven to his fans, once again, that it is possible to live a full and fulfilling life while still dealing with such debilitating conditions.

Willis has chosen to be open about his health journey in order to help people who have been in the same position he has been in. He wants to remind people living with chronic illnesses that life does not need to be put on hold and that it is possible to succeed despite physical or mental barriers. He is a real-life testament to this notion and an inspiration to anyone who has been diagnosed with long-term illness or condition.