Bruce Willis' mother, 90, celebrated as an 'icon' for her 22 years of volunteering for Los Angeles PD

Bruce Willis' 90-year-old mother is being celebrated as an 'icon' for her longstanding volunteer work with the Los Angeles Police Department.

For the last 22 years, Marlene Willis, who is fondly referred to as 'Mrs. Willis,' has spent her afternoons helping out the LAPD's West Los Angeles station.

According to NBC Los Angeles, Marlene checks for grammatical errors and makes notes on the station's police reports on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

'I want to help so much, so much. You have no idea. You cannot imagine how much I want to help,' she told the outlet on Wednesday. 

'This is my family,' Marlene said of the officers. 'I mean that 100%.'

Along with her clerical work, Marlene has also become a support system for the officers, often giving them hugs after a tough day on the job.

Despite being the mother of one of the biggest names in Hollywood, Marlene reportedly never speaks of Willis or involves him in her volunteer duties.

However, the article notes that Marlene does have a photo of her son, who is the eldest of her four children with late husband David Willis, hugging her as the wallpaper on her computer. 

West LA station's commanding officer Cpt. Rich Gabaldon described the Willis matriarch as a 'very integral part of West Los Angeles and the LAPD.'

'She is an icon here,' he added.

Former LAPD Chief Michel Moore, who previously presented Marlene with the LAPD volunteer of the year award, also spoke on the impact she has had on the department.

'I think she means the very best of people that are individuals who believe in the work that our men and women do,' he said.

Moore revealed that he once presented Marlene with her very own police badge.

'While I can't make her a cop, I can at least give her the greatest symbol of what it means to be a cop. And that is a badge of the law center police department.'

Moore, who is now retired and has moved out of LA for a quieter life in Tennessee, spoke directly to Marlene in a heartfelt statement shared with NBC Los Angeles.

'Marlene, there are people in our lives that when you cross their path; they leave a lasting impression,' he said.

'You are one that has risen to the top of one of the best impressions. To you and the work you do, we will be forever grateful.'

While Marlene has found a 'family' in the LAPD, she is also extremely close to son Willis, his wife Emma Heming, his ex-wife Demi Moore and the actor's five kids.

For Marlene's milestone 90th birthday in September last year, the family hosted an epic party at Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills, which her granddaughter Tallulah Willis, 32, posted about on Instagram.

Tallulah penned a sweet tribute to her 'glamour-puss queen of a grandmother,' along with photos of the gathering.

One snap showed Moore smiling and posing close to Marlene, who was dressed up in a birthday sash and crown.

Moore and ex Willis were married from 1987 to 2000. They share three daughters: Tallulah, Scout, 34, and Rumer, 37.

Will remarried in 2012. He shares two young daughters, Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11, with current wife Emma, who now cares for him amid his battle with dementia.

In 2023, Willis's family made the public announcement that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a form of dementia that causes a rapid decline in areas of the brain linked to personality and language abilities, at the age of 67.

FTD affects parts of the brain that control language, behavior, and personality. Unlike Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, patients don't lose their memory immediately but undergo significant personality changes.

The disease also impacts areas of the brain responsible for judgment, impulse control, and decision-making, which can lead to patients mismanaging finances - an additional burden on caregivers.

Though Willis has stepped back from the public eye and Hollywood, his family continues to provide occasional updates on his condition.

His wife Emma made headlines when it was revealed that Bruce had moved into a separate one-story home down the street from their primary residence, where he is cared for by a full-time team 24/7. 

In January on the Conversations With Cam podcast, Emma disclosed that she visits the actor 'all the time.' 

She also claimed that her husband of 12 years is unaware of his dementia diagnosis. 

Last week, Willis celebrated his 71st birthday.

And to honor the day, Emmashared a nostalgic photo of the Die Hard star smiling by the water on Instagram, writing, 'Today we celebrate Bruce's birthday.'

She also used the milestone to promote her newly launched charity The Emma & Bruce Willis Fund, which she announced last week.

'This journey with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) has opened my eyes to the realities so many families face,' she wrote.

'It's what inspired me to create The Emma & Bruce Willis Fund to raise awareness of FTD, support research, and stand beside the caregivers who carry so much every day.'