Emma Heming Willis has shared her experiences regarding the early signs of her husband Bruce Willis’ health issues.
In 2009, Bruce Willis married Emma Heming, and together they have two daughters, Mabel and Evelyn, during their 16-year union.
Before marrying Emma, the Die Hard actor was married to Demi Moore, with whom he shares three daughters. Although they divorced in 2000, Willis and Moore have maintained a friendly relationship.
In 2023, Willis’ family revealed his diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia, which followed an earlier diagnosis of aphasia. Emma has since taken on the role of his primary caregiver.
Due to the progression of his conditions, Willis now requires continuous care, leading Emma to arrange separate accommodation for him, albeit close to their family home.
Emma has authored a book, “Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path,” detailing her journey as a caregiver and her experiences with her husband’s dementia.
Emma has previously mentioned noticing irregularities with Willis, starting with his hearing loss. Initially, she didn’t associate this issue with dementia, instead attributing it to his work on Die Hard.
“When Bruce was shooting the first Die Hard he shot a gun underneath a table multiple times, and they didn’t have him wear any kind of ear protection,” she explained to Fox News. “What took out a huge percentage of his hearing. And over time, for all of us as we age, our hearing starts to go a bit.”
Emma reflected: “That’s what I thought was happening. Maybe we’re having this miscommunication. He is really not hearing me properly. I thought maybe that’s why we weren’t communicating as well as we used to, because of his hearing.”
In her book, Emma also highlights that Willis “lost a large percentage of his hearing in one ear” as a result of filming Die Hard.
Further, Emma observed that Willis seemed to “check out” during meals, but wondered if it was simply to allow their daughters to engage in “girl talk.”
Emma elaborated: “It all felt very different. Our conversations and our connection just felt off. It was really hard for me to understand why or what was happening to be able to put my finger on it.”
“I never realized, or would’ve ever thought, or have known, that this sort of lack of empathy was a symptom of young dementia.”
Changes in cognitive behavior and personality are often symptoms of dementia.
According to DementiaUK: “There is a wide range of possible signs and symptoms of dementia. People may have some or all of them. The common symptoms include memory problems, changes in cognitive ability (thinking, decision-making and problem-solving) and difficulties with communication. Changes in personality and behaviour are also common in some forms of dementia.”
If you are affected by any of the issues discussed and would like to talk to someone confidentially, the Alzheimer’s Association provides a 24/7 helpline at 800.272.3900. You can also find alternative means of contacting the organization through their website.