Since Bruce Willis's diagnosis with frontotemporal dementia, his family has faced the tough reality of watching the Hollywood icon slowly fade from the life he once led.
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Now, in a deeply personal conversation, his wife Emma Heming Willis has opened up about the next chapter in their journey: Bruce's condition has continued to deteriorate. In a candid interview with Diane Sawyer, Emma reflected on the emotional and practical challenges of caregiving, shedding light on how the family is adapting while staying close and connected to the beloved actor. Here's what she revealed about his current condition and how they're coping as a family.
Why Bruce Willis was moved to a second home
Bruce Willis is now living in a 'second home' where he receives care from a dedicated 24-hour medical team. Emma Heming Willis shared this detail as part of her wider reflections on her husband's health, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. She described it as an incredibly tough but necessary decision.
She admitted:
It was one of the hardest decisions that I've had to make so far.
Emma explained that the move was driven by a desire to maintain a safe, supportive space for both Bruce and their daughters. She added:
But I knew first and foremost, Bruce would want that for our daughters, you know, he wouldn’t want them to be in a home that was more tailored to their needs, not his needs.
The Willis family, including their two daughters and Bruce's three older daughters from his marriage to Demi Moore, remain closely involved. Emma and her daughters visit hime often as she shared:
It's a house that is filled with love and warmth and care and laughter.
Despite the changes, the bond within the family remains strong, with Emma emphasising the moments of connection that still shine through.
A look into Bruce's condition: Physically well, but language is slipping away
Although Bruce Willis is still physically healthy, the effects of his dementia are becoming more evident. As Emma put it:
Bruce is in really great health overall, you know, it's just his brain that is failing him.
She further revealed:
The language is going. We've learned to adapt and we have a way of communicating with him, which is just a different way.
Emma first noticed changes in Bruce’s behaviour before any diagnosis. She recalled:
He would always love taking the girls to school, and then those school runs just started to not happen as much.
For someone who was very talkative and very engaged, he was just a little more quiet, and when the family would get together, he would kind of just melt a little bit.
The actor's condition has progressed since his initial diagnosis of aphasia. A year later, the family learned he was facing frontotemporal dementia, a disease that affects behaviour, personality, and language.
Still, parts of Bruce’s spirit remain. Emma said:
We still get those days. Not days, but moments. It's his laugh... sometimes you'll get that twinkle in his eye or that spark.
When we are with him, he lights up. He's holding our hands, we're kissing him, we're hugging him, [and] he is reciprocating, you know, he is into it. And so that's all I need.
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Sources used:
The Hollywood Reporter: Emma Heming Willis Shares the 'Hardest Decisions' She's Had to Make Since Bruce Willis' Dementia Diagnosis
The Guardian: Bruce Willis' dementia diagnosis: 'language is going', says actor's wife
