Bruce Willis' wife, Emma Heming fought back tears as she gave a heartbreaking update on her husband's "painful" dementia battle. She also admitted it was a "beautiful thing amongst the sadness" to watch their two young daughters care for their father as his health deteriorates.
In February 2023, Bruce’s family announced that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) at the age of 67 - it is an uncommon form of dementia that causes problems with behaviour, personality and language. It came a year after it emerged that he had been suffering from Aphasia, a condition that affects how people communicate.
On Monday, during an appearance on the Today Show, the former model, 45 broke down as she provided an update on Bruce's condition and discussed the "grief and the sadness". Emma said: "What I'm learning is that dementia is hard.
"It's hard on the person diagnosed. It's also hard on the family. And that is no different for Bruce or myself or our girls". The Die Hard actor has five daughters Rumer, 35, Scout, 32, and Tallulah, 29 he shares with his ex-wife Demi Moore and young daughters Mabel, 11, and Evelyn, eight, who he shares with Emma.
Emma continued and said: "And when they say that this is a family disease, it really is." When asked how she explained the illness to their children, she said: "I think it's always been... we're a very honest and open household.
"And, the most important thing was to be able for us to say what the disease was, explain what it is because when you know what the disease is from a medical standpoint it sort of all makes sense.
"So it was important that we let them know what it is because, you know, I don't want there to be any stigma or shame attached to their dad's diagnosis, or for any form of dementia."
When asked by host Hoda Kotb if Bruce was aware of what is happening to him, Emma paused and said: "Hard to know". Despite the heartbreaking diagnosis earlier this year, Emma said "it was the blessing and the curse" to "finally understand" what was happening.
She added that it doesn't make it "any less painful", but knowing what is happening to her husband and "being in the acceptance" makes it a "little bit easier".
"There is so many beautiful things happening in our lives. It is just really important for me to look up from the grief and the sadness so that I can see what is happening around us", Emma added.
The former model went on to share that the illness is "teaching" their children "so much" and how to "care and love", before adding "It's a beautiful thing amongst the sadness." Emma confirmed she refers to herself as Bruce's "care partner" rather than "caretaker" and has help from his three older daughters, Rumer, Scout and Tallulah as well as his ex-wife Demi.
