Emma Heming Shares Insights on Bruce Willis’ Dementia Journey

LOS ANGELES, California — Emma Heming Willis has opened up about the challenges her family faces as her husband, Bruce Willis, battles frontotemporal dementia (FTD). In interviews, she shared how their daughters, Mabel Ray, 13, and Evelyn Penn, 11, are coping with the impact of their father’s illness.

Emma, 47, spoke candidly about the emotional strain their family endures. ‘I think they’re doing well, all things considered. But it’s hard,’ she said during a recent interview. ‘They grieve. They miss their dad so much. He’s missing important milestones. That’s tough for them.’

Bruce, 70, has been largely out of the public eye since his diagnosis. Emma mentioned that both she and their children are learning to ‘walk alongside the grief’ as they navigate this difficult time. ‘I don’t know if my kids will ever bounce back, but they’re learning and so am I,’ she added.

In addition to providing daily care, Emma has taken on the responsibility of managing Bruce’s substantial estate, estimated at $250 million. A family source revealed, ‘Taking care of Bruce isn’t just about keeping up his spirits. It also involves managing his finances.’

Emma moved Bruce to a separate residence equipped with a full-time care team, which she said was a painful but necessary decision. ‘It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make,’ she told The Sunday Times. ‘But among the sadness, it was the right move — for him, for our girls, for me.’

The new living arrangement allows Bruce to maintain independence and enables family and friends to spend time with him without the weight of his care directly on Emma. ‘It’s made such a difference,’ she noted, explaining how it allows everyone to connect with Bruce in a more relaxed environment.

As they adjust to their new reality, Emma and their daughters keep a memory journal to document precious moments and quotes from Bruce. ‘You think you’ll never forget these things, but then you do,’ she said.

Despite the challenges posed by FTD, Emma remains committed to raising awareness about the condition and advocating for caregivers. ‘Nobody in this world will escape it,’ she remarked. ‘It’s a universal part of loving and living.’

FTD attacks the brain areas that control language, behavior, and personality without an immediate loss of memory, affecting judgment and decision-making abilities. The average life expectancy after diagnosis ranges from seven to 13 years.

As the family adapts to their circumstances, Emma shared, ‘It’s the cruellest kind of heartbreak. You lose the person you love piece by piece, while they’re still here.’