Bruce Willis’ Wife Recounts Initial ‘Shock’ After His Dementia Diagnosis

Emma Heming Willis is sharing her immediate reaction after her husband, actor Bruce Willis, 70, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2022.

“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 shared at a recent Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement (WAM) Forum. “The future we imagined simply vanished, and I was left trying to hold my family together, raise our two young daughters and care for the man I love while navigating a disease I barely understood.”

In 2022, Willis retired from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder. The Die Hard star was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia shortly thereafter. 

“Bruce’s condition has progressed, and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD),” his family said in a statement at the time. “Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, FTD is “an umbrella term for a group of brain diseases that affect the frontal and temporal lobes. These areas of the brain are associated with personality, behavior and language.” FTD often begins between the ages of 40 and 65 and accounts for approximately 10 to 20 percent of dementia cases. 

Since Willis’ diagnosis, Heming Willis has been his caregiver, along with assistance from his five children. (Willis shares three adult daughters — Rumer, 36, Scout, 33, and Tallulah, 31 — with ex-wife Demi Moore; he has two young daughters with Heming Willis: Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11.) Heming Willis, a British model and actress, has shared frequent updates with fans over the past few years about the star’s health progress. She has also introduced her wellness brand, Make Time Wellness, which focuses on women’s brain health. 

Heming Willis recently received an award for her caregiver and advocacy work from WAM.

“Thank you @mariashriver & @womensalzmovement, for always uplifting the caregiver’s voice and championing this work,” she said on Instagram. “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.”

Heming Willis plans to release her first book, The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope and Yourself on the Caregiving Path, in September. The book focuses on helping caregivers as they support a loved one experiencing health issues.