attends the Comedy Central Roast of Bruce Willis at Hollywood Palladium on July 14, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.
Emma Heming Willis has provided a heartfelt update on how her family is adapting their holiday celebrations as her husband, Bruce Willis, continues to face the challenges of dementia. In an interview with People published on November 27, 2023, Heming Willis, 47, reflected on the changes that have come with Bruce’s diagnosis, particularly during festive occasions like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“Bruce loved Christmas, and we love celebrating it with him. It just looks different, so we’ve kind of adapted to that,” she stated during the End Well 2025 conference held in Los Angeles last week. Heming Willis emphasized the importance of creating new memories while honoring their existing traditions. “You have to learn and adapt. Life goes on. Dementia is hard, but there is still joy in it,” she remarked.
In March 2022, Bruce Willis was initially diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder that affects communication. By early 2023, his family revealed that his condition had progressed to frontotemporal dementia, a degenerative brain disease influencing behavior, communication, and mobility.
Recently, Bruce’s daughter, Rumer Willis, 37, shared insights about her father’s health through an Instagram Q&A. Responding to a fan’s inquiry, Rumer expressed the complexities of discussing her father’s condition. “The truth is that anybody with FTD is not doing great. But he’s doing OK in terms of somebody who’s dealing with frontotemporal dementia,” she explained. Rumer conveyed her gratitude for the moments they still share, noting, “I’m so happy and grateful that I still get to go and hug him… that he can feel the love I’ve given him.”
As Bruce’s health has progressed, Emma Heming Willis made the difficult decision to transition him to a second home equipped with a round-the-clock care team. In an ABC special titled *Emma and Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey*, aired in August, she described it as one of the hardest choices she has faced. “But I knew, first and foremost, Bruce would want that for our daughters,” she shared, emphasizing the importance of providing a supportive environment tailored to their needs.
In her memoir, *The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path*, released in September, Heming Willis discussed the positive aspects of this transition. She wrote, “One benefit to getting help, whether you bring it into your home or have your person move to a community-based setting, is the ability to get back to your original role in your person’s life.”
She acknowledged that it took time to reframe her perspective and move past feelings of guilt, ultimately allowing her to appreciate their time together more fully. “I’m forever grateful that I get to enjoy Bruce again as his wife and that our kids have their mom back,” she concluded.
Emma Heming Willis’ candid reflections shed light on the realities of caregiving and maintaining family bonds in the face of challenging circumstances. Her emphasis on joy and adaptation serves as a reminder that even in difficult times, love and connection remain central to family life.
