Emma Heming Willis Opens Up About Bruce Willis’ Dementia Diagnosis

NEW YORK CITY, New York — Emma Heming Willis shared her emotional struggle after her husband, actor Bruce Willis, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2022. Speaking at the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement Forum, she recounted leaving the doctor’s office with only a pamphlet and a feeling of emptiness.

“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,” Heming Willis said. She expressed the overwhelming challenge of raising their two daughters while caring for Bruce through his illness.

Willis, 70, retired from acting after experiencing difficulties with communication, later confirmed to be linked to frontotemporal dementia, a condition that impacts behavior, personality, and language abilities. “Bruce’s condition has progressed, and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD),” his family stated.

According to the Mayo Clinic, FTD often affects individuals between ages 40 and 65 and accounts for 10 to 20 percent of dementia cases. Heming Willis has been a primary caregiver for Bruce with support from his five children from a previous marriage.

Heming Willis has often kept her followers informed about Bruce’s health and recently launched a wellness brand focusing on women’s brain health. She was honored by the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement for her advocacy work, stating, “I’m proud to be part of a community that sees and values the often invisible heart work and quiet act of courage that caregiving truly is.”

In September, she plans to release her upcoming book, The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope and Yourself on the Caregiving Path, which aims to assist caregivers dealing with similar challenges.