Bruce Willis’ wife Emma Heming Willis has shared a candid video in which she speaks about her approach to life since the action star was diagnosed with a form of dementia.
Last year, the Die Hard actor’s family announced that he would be taking a step back from the spotlight due to his struggles with aphasia, described by the NHS website as a difficulty with language or speech “usually caused by damage to the left side of the brain”.
In February 2023, Bruce’s family then shared that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), an uncommon type of dementia that causes problems with behaviour and language.
An emotional Emma posted a video on Monday afternoon after completing a hike, with a special message for those in a similar position to her.
“I’m asking care partners to send me photos because I just think it’s so important for us to sort of break up our thinking, which can feel – for me – very much like doom and gloom,” she explained.
“I know it looks like I’m out living my best life, [but] I have to make a conscious effort every single day to live the best life that I can. I do that for myself, I do that for our two children, and Bruce, who would not want me to live any other way.
“So, I don’t want it to be misconstrued that, like, ‘I’m good’. Because I’m not. I’m not good. But I have to put my best foot forward. For the sake of myself and my family, because, again, when we are not looking after ourselves, we cannot look after anyone that we love.
“So, it’s really important. And like I said, this is a conscious effort, it does not come to me easily, but I am doing the best that I can, always.”
Emma added: “I just want you to take a moment out of your day and I know that your day is stressful and I know that your day is hard, but I just want you to just break it up for a minute, just for a second, and just look for something beautiful.”
The model and actor have been married since 2009, and share two children; 11-year-old Mabel and nine-year-old Evelyn.
Bruce also has three grown-up children from his previous marriage to fellow actor Demi Moore; Rumer, Scout and Tallulah.
Since his diagnosis, his family have come together for a number of group celebrations, most recently to celebrate the birth of Rumer’s baby daughter.