Bruce-Willis’ family offered a rare glimpse into his ongoing health journey as his wife, Emma Heming Willis, opened up about the changes they’ve faced together. She spoke candidly in a new interview about how his condition has progressed and how their loved ones have found new ways to stay connected with him.
Here’s what she revealed about his health, their adjustments as a family, and the moments that still shine through.
Bruce Willis’ family has ‘learned to adapt’ following dementia diagnosis
Emma Heming Willis, the wife of Bruce Willis, has shared an update on his health as he continues his more than two-year battle with frontotemporal dementia.
“Bruce is in really great health overall, you know. It’s just his brain that is failing him,” Heming Willis told Diane Sawyer in the ABC special Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey. She added, “The language is going, and, you know, we’ve learned to adapt. And we have a way of communicating with him, which is just a different, a different way.”
Heming Willis said her husband, now 70, still shows recognition and connection with her and their children. “I feel he does, right? Like, he, I know he does. You know, when we are with him … he lights up, right? He’s holding our hands. We’re kissing him. We’re hugging him. He is reciprocating. You know, he is into it.” She explained, “I don’t need him to know that I am his wife… I just wanna feel that I have a connection with him. And I do.”
The family announced in 2023 that Willis had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, a condition that affects personality, behavior, and communication. Heming Willis noted that his symptoms began as subtle changes: “He felt a little removed, a little cold, not like Bruce, who was very warm and very affectionate. To go the complete opposite of that was alarming and scary.”
Despite the challenges, Heming Willis said they still see moments of his personality. “Not days, but we get moments. It’s his laugh, right? Like, he has such, like, a hardy laugh. And, you know, sometimes you’ll see that twinkle in his eye, or that smirk, and, you know, I just get, like, transported.”
She acknowledged, “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.”
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on ComingSoon.net.
