Emma Heming Willis and Bruce Willis have been married since 2009 and have two daughters. On the birthday of actor Bruce Willis, who was recently diagnosed with dementia, his wife spoke about how difficult his illness has been on their family life and thanked fans for their support.
Willis suffers from frontotemporal dementia – a form of the disease that causes changes in behavior and speech and is incurable. The actor’s loved ones decided to go public with his diagnosis in hopes of bringing awareness to the disease.
On the actor’s 68th birthday, his wife, Emma Heming Willis, posted an emotional message on Instagram, telling fans how his illness brought bitterness and suffering to their family. “My morning started with tears, as you can see from my swollen eyes,” said 44-year-old Heming Willis. “It is important for you to see all sides of what is happening,” she added.
“I often get messages where people say, ‘Oh, you are so strong. I can’t imagine how you do it. But I have no choice. I wish I did. I am still raising two children in this situation,” Bruce Willis’ wife said in her video statement. She added that she finds it difficult to make such videos, but according to her, she does it not only for herself, but also for her husband’s fans, whose warmth and love the actor’s whole family greatly appreciates.
“Sometimes in life you have to act like an adult, and that’s what I’m doing now. But every day there are moments of sadness, every day a sense of loss, and today, on his birthday, I feel it especially,” Heming Willis said.
Bruce Willis’ ex-wife, actress Demi Moore, has posted her congratulations to Bruce Willis on Instagram. In the video, Moore and their three grown daughters sing “Happy Birthday” to a smiling Willis and present him with a celebratory cake. “I am so glad that we could celebrate with you today. I love you and I love our family. Thank you all for the love and warm wishes – we feel them all,” Moore wrote.
Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in February. At the time, his loved ones said the specific diagnosis was a relief because it clarified the actor’s health. A year earlier, doctors had diagnosed him with aphasia, a disorder characterized by difficulty speaking and understanding the speech of others. Due to the effects of the disease, Willis was forced to give up his acting career. Since then, his condition has worsened.
According to the British National Health Service website, frontotemporal dementia causes changes in a person’s behavior and language. Patients experience slowed or stiffened movements, later followed by loss of bladder and bowel control and muscle weakness. Symptoms worsen over time. There is currently no effective treatment to slow the progression of the disease.
Emma Heming Willis (left) with Bruce Willis, Demi Moore and their three grown daughters.
Bruce Willis has been a Hollywood star for decades. He gained worldwide fame with his roles in blockbusters such as “Die Hard”, “The Sixth Sense”, “Armageddon” and “Pulp Fiction”. Willis was nominated for a Golden Globe five times – and won only once, for his role in the series “Moonlighting Detective Agency”. He was also nominated for an Emmy three times and won twice.