Bruce Willis’ wife recalled feeling “no hope” after his shock frontotemporal dementia (FTD) diagnosis in 2022.
Speaking at the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement Forum in Las Vegas on Monday, Emma Heming Willis, who has been married to the Die Hard star since 2009, recalled how the couple felt after leaving the doctor’s office three years ago and how she channeled that moment into something good.
“On the day Bruce got his diagnosis, we left the doctor’s office with a pamphlet and a hollow goodbye. No plan, no guidance, no hope, just shock,” Emma shared, per People magazine. “The future we imagined simply vanished, and I was left trying to hold my family together, raise our two young daughters, and care for the man I love while navigating a disease I barely understood.”
The Make Time Wellness founder subsequently disclosed that she used the “trauma” of that doctor’s visit to guide her upcoming book, The Unexpected Journey, which she described as a “roadmap I wish someone had handed me on the day in 2022.”
“I wrote it for other caregivers who are desperate for answers, aching for support, and wanting to be seen and wondering how they’re going to make it through,” she continued.
Bruce and his family announced that he would be retiring from acting following an aphasia diagnosis in 2022. They subsequently publicly disclosed that he was more specifically diagnosed with frontotemporal degeneration in 2023. It is the most common form of dementia for people under 60, and has no treatment or cure.
The couple share daughters Mabel Ray Willis, 13, and Evelyn Penn Willis, 11. The two-time Emmy winner also has three daughters from his previous marriage to actress Demi Moore: Rumer Glenn Willis, 36; Scout LaRue Willis, 33; and Tallulah Belle Willis, 31.
The actor’s family will sometimes post updates on how he’s doing to social media, with Emma more recently celebrating their 16th wedding anniversary on Instagram.
“Today marks 16 years with the love of a lifetime. We’ve shared monumental highs and devastating lows, and through it all, we’ve built something timeless,” the model wrote alongside a photo of her and Bruce embracing. “I’m so deeply grateful for every chapter I’ve had with him and all the ones we’ll continue to write, in our language of unconditional love.”
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