Bruce Willis' wife Emma gives heartbreaking update on his battle with dementia
Topics: Celebrity, Bruce Willis
Gregory Robinson
Featured Image Credit: Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo/Instagram/@emmahemingwillis
Topics: Celebrity, Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis' wife has shared a heartbreaking update about her husband's dementia diagnosis and treatment.
Emma Heming Willis, 44, opened up about the ‘slim’ treatment options for her husband, 68, who retired from acting after being diagnosed.
Earlier this year, Bruce’s family issued a statement confirming his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis after he was previously diagnosed with aphasia.
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Emma commented on a feature documentary about dementia this week where she touched on the difficulties when it comes to treatments.
Speaking on Instagram about the documentary film Little Empty Boxes, which follows Max Lugavere’s mom on her own dementia journey, Emma posted: “Max chronicles his mother Kathy’s battle with dementia while he educates himself on everything he can do to help her. His love for his mother is powerful. His motivation to find answers from leading health experts is inspiring and then be so gracious to share that information is a true blessing.
“It would be an absolute disservice if this documentary is not on a screen near us soon. Thank you Max for being so brave and vulnerable to share the journey and spotlighting the importance of brain health. When you live the world of dementia you know that options are slim. But some won’t take that lying down which is how change is made and I got to witness the beauty in that last night.”
Lugavere responded to the post and called Emma Willis a 'warrior', adding her: “I'm so proud to be in this fight with you."
Willis' ex-wife Demi Moore commented: "Look forward to seeing it!"
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) impacts the lobes of the brain behind the forehead, with symptoms such as personality changes, obsessive behavior and speaking difficulties common.
In February 2023, Emma Willis, Moore and Willis' five daughters released a statement on The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration's website that said: "Our family wanted to start by expressing our deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support and wonderful stories we have all received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis.
"In the spirit of that, we wanted to give you an update about our beloved husband, father and friend since we now have a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing.
"Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD).
"Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.
"FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone. For people under 60, FTD is the most common form of dementia, and because getting the diagnosis can take years, FTD is likely much more prevalent than we know."
The family said while there is no cure for the disease, they hope that the media attention surrounding Willis' diagnosis will shine a light on the need for more awareness and research.