Emma Heming Willis, wife of the retired actor Bruce Willis, has publicly shared insights into her husband’s health, revealing that his cognitive functions are “failing” and his “language is going.”
The “Die Hard” star, aged 70, received a diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia over three years ago.
In an interview with ABC News on “Good Morning America” Tuesday, she stated, “Bruce is still very mobile. Bruce is in really great health overall, you know. It’s just his brain that is failing him.”
Heming Willis, who is also the author of an upcoming book detailing her family’s experience with dementia, expressed support for fellow caregivers. “The language is going, and, you know, we’ve learned to adapt,” she explained. “And we have a way of communicating with him, which is just a… different way.”
The Willis family announced in 2023 that the actor had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, described by the NHS website as “an uncommon type of dementia that causes problems with behaviour and language.”
The model and entrepreneur shared that she initially felt she had to manage her husband’s care alone, leading to sleepless nights and social isolation.
She hopes that her new book, “Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path,” will serve as a guide and source of support for other caregivers navigating similar challenges related to dementia.
Heming Willis noted that the family, including the couple’s two young daughters and Bruce’s three daughters with his former partner, actress Demi Moore, still experiences glimpses of his true personality and the “twinkle in his eye.”
“Not days, but we get moments,” she said. “It’s his laugh, right? He has such a hearty laugh. And sometimes you’ll see that twinkle in his eye, or that smirk, and I just get transported.”
She continued, “And it’s just hard to see, because as quickly as those moments appear, then it goes. It’s hard. But I’m grateful. I’m grateful that my husband is still very much here.”
Her remarks precede the ABC special, “Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey,” airing in the US on Tuesday at 20:00 BST and available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu the following day.
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