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Emma Heming Willis Shares Emotional Update on Bruce Willis’ Dementia Battle
After more than two years battling frontotemporal dementia (FTD), actor Bruce Willis’ condition has reached a heartbreaking stage. In a deeply moving interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer, his wife Emma Heming Willis revealed that while the 70-year-old Die Hard star remains in overall good health, his brain is “failing him” and his ability to communicate is rapidly diminishing.
Still, Emma Heming Willis insists their bond remains strong. “I feel he does [recognize me]. When we are with him, he lights up,” she said, adding that Bruce Willis still shares tender moments with her, their two young daughters, and his three older daughters from his marriage to Demi Moore.
Living With Frontotemporal Dementia
Bruce Willis’ family went public with his FTD diagnosis in 2023, shedding light on a disease that affects nearly 7 million Americans living with dementia. Unlike Alzheimer’s, FTD often impacts people under 60 and alters personality, behavior, and communication skills.
“The language is going, and we’ve learned to adapt,” Heming Willis explained. “We have a way of communicating with him, which is just… different.”
She admits the most challenging part is watching fleeting glimpses of Bruce Willis’ personality fade. “It’s his laugh, his smirk, that twinkle in his eye. As quickly as it comes, it goes. But I’m grateful for those moments.”
The Caregiving Journey
In the ABC special “Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey,” Emma Heming Willis opens up about the challenges of caregiving. At first, she shouldered the responsibility alone, even isolating the family to make life easier for Bruce. Eventually, she realised she needed help—especially after her stepdaughter Scout voiced concern for her well-being.
That moment pushed Emma Heming Willis to seek professional caregivers and treatment for her own depression. “One of the hardest decisions I’ve made was moving Bruce into a safer, quieter home tailored to our daughters’ needs. But I know it’s what he would have wanted.”
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Turning Pain Into Purpose
Heming Willis has transformed her private struggle into public advocacy. She has written a new book, The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path, to guide others navigating dementia caregiving. She hopes her openness encourages families to seek early diagnoses and explore clinical trials that may lead to breakthroughs.
“My motivation is raising awareness. We want families to know they’re not alone, and that there are resources and research that can help.”
While reflecting on her marriage and the life they built is painful, Heming Willis says she focuses on the now. “I don’t need him to know I’m his wife or remember the date we got married. I just want to feel that connection—and I do.”
When asked what she longs for most, Heming Willis’ answer was simple: “A conversation with my husband. Just to know how he’s doing, if he’s scared, or if there’s something we could do better for him.”
The ABC News special “Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey” streams on Disney+ and Hulu beginning August 27, 2025.
