Bruce Willis’ Wife Shares Message of Hope Amid His Dementia Battle
Movieguide® Contributor
Bruce Willis’ wife Emma is sharing the hope she has for her husband amid his battle with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
“Amid her husband’s ongoing health struggles with Frontotemporal Dementia, Emma took to Instagram to share an inspirational message with his fans, reminding them that ‘we’re all in this together,’” Blast reported Sept. 23.
Emma shared the message during FTD awareness week. In a video clip, she can be seen attending the 14th International Conference on Frontotemporal Dementia.
The event hosts 750 healthcare workers and researchers. Emma was eager to speak with some of them.
“I’m excited to hear and share their positive news, momentum, and hope during this World FTD Awareness Week to bring a sense of encouragement for families like mine and yours navigating an FTD diagnosis,” she said. “Please follow along, repost, and add your own FTD story so we can continue to raise awareness around this disease. We’re all in this together.”
In an Instagram post, she said, “Today is the start of World FTD Awareness Week. I had the incredible opportunity to meet with some of the leading researchers, scientists, and clinicians dedicated to the fight against FTD. I asked them one question: ‘What message of hope can you give to our community?’ Their answers remind me that together, we are making great strides, and every step forward brings us closer to better care, treatments, and a future filled with so much hope.”
She encouraged followers to share their own FTD story, and many did and provided encouragement for Emma and her family.
In another post, she said, “I left Amsterdam with a full heart and mind after an inspiring 4-day frontotemporal dementia conference. Advocacy means so much to me, and I’m also learning the importance of balance so I can fully embrace those moments of joy. Yes, joy is part of this journey, and I was able to tap into it on this trip.”
“Please remember not to let anyone’s opinion of what you should or shouldn’t be doing as a care partner dim your light,” she said. “Take time to replenish yourself, whenever and wherever you can. Let go of the guilt or shame. Because when you take that time, you’re able to be a better care partner to your loved one. Then everyone wins. ⚖️💞”
“Emma’s message comes just days after Bruce’s daughter, Tallulah, appeared on the TODAY SHOW, where she gave an update on her father’s condition and discussed how he’s managing his dementia diagnosis,” Blast reported. “Bruce was initially diagnosed with Aphasia in 2022, a condition that affects speech due to brain damage, and was forced to pull the curtains on his acting career at the time.”
Just a year later, his condition had progressed to FTD.
“He’s doing stable, which in this situation is good, and is hard. There’s painful days, but there’s so much love,” Tallulah shared. She and her four sisters are “appreciative” of the time they get to spend with him.
“It’s really shown me to not take any moment for granted, and I really do think that we’d be best friends,” she explained. “I think he’s very proud of me. You have to be in the moment. You have to be present.”
Movieguide reported on Sept. 20:
Tallulah and the rest of Willis’ family are grateful for the time they have with their dad.
“Our visits have so much love and I feel that,” Tallulah said last month, “and that overarches anything for me — being able to have that connection.”
“I know he knows how much I love him,” she continued. “I know how much he loves me. I know how much he loves all of us.”
The actor recently made a rare appearance in Brentwood, CA. He had his window down as someone drove him around in an SUV.
“He rarely goes out, but when he does it’s a carefully orchestrated operation,” a source told In Touch Weekly. “He needs help getting ready and getting to the car.” He has caretakers “24/7 who supervise him and make sure he’s OK and doesn’t get confused or flustered” and “has bodyguards to buffer him from the public.”
