Emma Heming Willis has revealed one of the ‘hardest decisions’ she has had to make since her husband, Bruce Willis, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
Bruce, 70, and Emma, 47, got married in March 2009. Emma confirmed Bruce’s aphasia diagnosis in 2022, more than a decade after the couple married. Less than a year later, he was diagnosed with FTD, a spectrum of brain illnesses that can include speech difficulties, loss of motor abilities, and behavioral abnormalities. Emma has supported her spouse throughout it all.
In an ABC program titled Emma and Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey, which aired on August 26, the mother of two revealed to Diane Sawyer that her husband now lives apart.
“I knew, first and foremost, Bruce would want that for our daughters,” Emma says of their daughters, Evelyn Penn, 11, and Mabel Ray, 13. “He would want them to be in a home that was more tailored to their needs, not his needs.”
Bruce and Emma welcomed Mabel in April 2012 and Evelyn in May 2014. Bruce also has three grown children with his ex-wife Demi Moore, 62.
According to Sawyer, the family decided to relocate the Die Hard star to a second house nearby “some time ago.” The one-story structure is safe for him and his 24-hour care staff to maneuver.
Emma began gradually isolating their family before making the decision. She learned that noise can trigger anxiety in Bruce’s condition. As a result, the mother discontinued hosting playdates and sleepovers for the daughters.
“I didn’t know if parents would feel comfortable leaving their kid at our home,” she told me. “I intentionally distanced our entire family. That was a difficult time.”
Moving the movie star to a new residence allows the mixed family and friends to come more frequently. Emma comes over for breakfast every morning and again at night.
“We’re there a lot,” Emma adds. “It’s our second home, so the girls have their things there.”
She went on to say, “It’s a house full of love, warmth, care, and laughter.” It’s been wonderful to see how many of Bruce’s friends continue to support him; they add life and laughter.”
Sawyer, who has interviewed Bruce several times over the years, was welcomed to his house without cameras. According to the journalist, he appeared “happy” and “healthy.”
“Bruce is still very mobile,” Emma adds later in the interview. “Bruce is in really great health overall; it’s just his brain that is failing him.”
“His ability to communicate is declining, and, you know, we’ve learned to adapt,” she says. “We have a way of communicating with him, which is just different, a different way.”
Emma’s book, The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path, will be released on September 9 and is already available for presale wherever books are sold.
Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey is currently available on Hulu and Disney+.