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Topics: Bruce Willis, Dementia, Celebrity, Health
Callum Jones
Topics: Bruce Willis, Dementia, Celebrity, Health
Bruce Willis' wife, Emma Hemming Willis, has detailed the heartwarming way their children are dealing with the actor's dementia.
The Die Hard actor's family confirmed in 2023 he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal degeneration (FTD), after stepping back from acting the previous year.
FTD is an 'uncommon' type of dementia with frontotemporal referring to the two areas of the brain that are most affected; the frontal lobes at the front, and the temporal lobes around the sides.
Some 55 million people worldwide are living with dementia, an incurable disease.
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In a recent interview with ABC News, Emma revealed that Willis moved out to a second home away from children Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11.
While the 47-year-old labeled it as one of the 'hardest' decisions the family has made, she believes it is the right one.
Emma more recently spoke to Vogue Australia about how her children are dealing with their father's declining health.
"I think they’re doing well, all things considered, but it’s hard," she told the outlet. "They grieve, they miss their dad so much. He’s missing important milestones, that’s tough for them – but kids are resilient, [although] I used to hate hearing that because people didn’t understand what we were walking through."
Emma continued: "I don’t know if my kids will ever bounce back, but they’re learning and so am I."
While the children are understandably struggling, Emma herself has been through the mill in recent years following her husband's diagnosis.
She said: "I’ve had to learn to walk alongside the grief. It’s always with me. I can’t shake it, but I’m going to breathe, and I’m going to be sad and all the feelings and emotions that I’m going to feel, but I am also not going to just allow it to be this one note of that."
Due to the nature of his disease, Willis is now living in a one-story house with a full-time caring team away from his family.
"When we go over, either we're outside, or we're watching a movie…it's just really about being able to be there, and connect with Bruce," Emma told ABC News.
"It is a house that is filled with love, and warmth, and care, and laughter. And it's been beautiful to see that, to see how many of Bruce's friends continue to show up for him, and they bring in life, and fun."
Emma has continued to provide health updates on her husband over the past few years.