Bruce Willis’ wife Emma Heming Willis provided details on how their family is adjusting to Bruce being diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. She described it as a difficulty that has also taught them important lessons in caregiving and love.
The Willis family revealed in March 2022 that Bruce had been diagnosed with aphasia, a disorder that affected his cognitive ability and caused him to give up performing. They later made their diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia public in February.
Speaking on NBC’s “TODAY” program, Emma Heming Willis acknowledged the challenges brought on by dementia and emphasized how it impacts the whole family as well as the affected person. She emphasized how dementia is unquestionably a “family disease.”
She identified herself as their “care partner” and emphasized the value of honest and open communication in their home. Emma said that it was crucial to give her girls a thorough grasp of the condition in order to remove any stigma or shame connected to their father’s diagnosis or dementia in general.
In addition to his two young kids with Emma Heming Willis, age 45, Bruce Willis, 68, also has three adult daughters from his first marriage to Demi Moore.
During World FTD Awareness Week, Emma Heming Willis discussed frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a class of brain illnesses affecting the frontal and temporal lobes that are frequently associated with personality, behavior, and linguistic problems.
The symptoms of FTD vary from person to person; some have dramatic personality changes, impulsivity, or emotional indifference, while others have difficulty using language. Although there is no known treatment for FTD, medicines can improve quality of life by reducing symptoms like agitation and depression.
The CEO of the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, Susan Wilkinson, noted that because FTD is relatively uncommon and new to many specialists, it typically requires nearly four years to make a proper diagnosis. Depression, bipolar disorder, or Alzheimer’s disease are examples of misdiagnoses.
Emma Heming Willis said that it is impossible to say whether Bruce Willis is aware of his health when asked if he is. Wilkinson continued by saying that FTD can have an impact on self-insight, with some people losing awareness of their deteriorating state early on while others keep it for a long time.
The diagnosis of her husband, according to Emma Heming Willis, was both a “blessing and a curse.” Despite the difficulties, she stressed the invaluable lessons Bruce has taught their family about love, endurance, and tenacity. She said that despite their loss, they are still finding beauty, and Bruce continues to inspire them. She thinks Bruce would want them to embrace happiness and value their time as a family.
