Emma Heming Willis Finds Deeper Connection with Bruce Willis Amidst Dementia Journey

Emma Heming Willis expresses a deeper connection with her husband, Bruce Willis, amidst his ongoing fight with frontotemporal dementia.

“Our bond feels like it has only deepened and evolved,” she shared with People in a conversation released on Wednesday, September 3. “My affection for Bruce is now… It’s on a more fundamental, visceral plane.”

According to the National Institute of Aging, frontotemporal dementia (FTD) has the capacity to “progressively strip individuals of essential functions—cognitive processes, verbal communication, mobility, and social interaction—which many of us often overlook.”

However, notwithstanding Willis’ difficulties with verbal expression, Heming Willis, 49, revealed that they maintain communication through alternative means.

“Occasionally, affection transcends language,” she stated. “I can simply be present with Bruce, gazing at him, and we exchange glances, sharing laughter and smiles, which holds more significance to me than anything else.”

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Primarily, Heming Willis acknowledges the invaluable nature of time while managing her roles as a caregiver and parent to their two children: Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11. They frequently spend time with Willis, 70, at his nearby residence, situated close to their main home.

“I cherish these moments with him,” she remarked. “Time passes so swiftly, and I simply adore being able to fully engage with him. Bruce is remarkably engaged. I feel immense gratitude that he remains very much with us, a significant part of our daily existence. I believe there’s been such profound beauty in accepting him as he is, and in appreciating this period we share.”

During her conversation with Diane Sawyer on ABC last month, Heming Willis disclosed that Willis maintains significant mobility and “is generally in excellent health overall.”

“It is solely his brain that is deteriorating… His capacity for language is diminishing, and we have adapted, developing a unique method of interacting with him,” she commented.

In anticipation of her forthcoming book, The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path, slated for release on Tuesday, September 9, Heming Willis has also found solidarity with Willis’ former spouse, Demi Moore.

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"There's no established guide for handling a situation like this, and naturally, my role as the ex-wife, despite our family's strong ties, is unique, with much of the responsibility for navigating this falling to Emma," Moore, 62, articulated during a recent podcast. (Moore and Willis were wed from 1987 to 2000 and are parents to Rumer, 37, Scout, 34, and Tallulah, 31.)

Moore added, "I feel immense empathy for Emma in this circumstance; as a young woman, no one could have foreseen this trajectory, and I truly believe she has handled it with exceptional skill.”