Bruce Willis' wife Emma Heming Willis shares poignant message on Father's Day
Alongside a photo of one of the two daughters she shares with husband, actor Bruce Willis, hugging her father, Heming Willis wrote 'Happy Father's Day to all the dads living with disability or disease, showing up in the ways they can and to the children who show up for them.'
Heming Willis continued saying that Willis teaches their daughters, Mabel and Evelyn, lessons that go 'far beyond words.'
'Resilience, unconditional love, and the quiet strength in simply being present,' Heming Willis wrote, noting that the pictured she shared of the father and daughter 'says so much.'
'Love deepens. It adapts. It stays, even when everything else changes,' the model and activist shared. 'But to be fair to myself, these symbolic days stir up a lot.'
'I'm profoundly sad today. I wish, with every cell in my body, that things could be different for him and lighter for our family.'
In March 2022, the Willis family announced in a joint statement that the actor had been diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that affects his ability to communicate. A year later, in February 2023, the family shared another statement revealing that Willis received another diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia.
According to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, FTD 'represents a group of brain disorders caused by degeneration of the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain.'
Willis has since retired from Hollywood and Heming Willis has become an advocate for her husband and caregivers.
'As they say in our FTD community, 'It is what it is,'' Heming Willis continued in her Father's Day message. 'And while that might sound dismissive, to me, it's not. It grounds me.'
The mom of two says that saying 'helps me return to the acceptance of what is and not fight this every step of the way like I used to. Today, let's celebrate the bad*** dads, those who are here, and those we carry with us. Onward.'
In addition to Mabel and Evelyn, Willis is also a father to Rumer Willis, Tallulah Willis, and Scout LaRue Willis with his ex-wife Demi Moore.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
16 hours ago
- The Hill
Emma Heming Willis opens up about Bruce Willis' dementia diagnosis
Actor Bruce Willis' wife, Emma Heming Willis, is opening up for the first time about the actor's dementia diagnosis. 'I was so panicked, and I just remember hearing it and just not hearing anything else,' Heming Willis told Diane Sawyer about the 'Die Hard' actor developing frontotemporal dementia. The diagnosis forced Willis to retire from acting in 2023. Emma Heming Willis' 'journey' to being Bruce Willis' caretaker Her interview with Sawyer comes ahead of her new book, ' The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path, ' which will release Sept. 9. The book is described as 'for anyone caregiving for a loved one with any form of dementia, and even for those caregiving for other conditions. … 'The Unexpected Journey' shows that you are not alone.' NewsNation's Paula Froelich reported last month that the 'Looper' actor's health has deteriorated to the point that he can no longer speak, read or walk. What is frontotemporal dementia? According to Mayo Clinic, frontotemporal dementia is an 'umbrella term' for brain diseases that impact the frontal and temporal lobes, which can shrink. People who develop FTD can experience changes in their personality and develop an inability to speak. There is currently no cure or treatment for FTD, but medications can be effective in mitigating behavioral issues associated with symptoms.
USA Today
5 days ago
- USA Today
Emma Heming Willis was 'panicked' by husband Bruce Willis' dementia diagnosis
Emma Heming Willis is opening up about her private world with husband Bruce Willis. The advocate and model, 47, is getting candid in an upcoming interview with Diane Sawyer about the 70-year-old "Die Hard" actor's dementia diagnosis and how the family is handling it all. "I was so panicked, and I just remember hearing it and just not hearing anything else," Heming Willis told Sawyer in a teaser clip released Wednesday, Aug. 13. The actress' interview with Sawyer is set to air in full during the ABC special "Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey" on Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 8 p.m. ET. The legendary actor retired after being diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023. Earlier this year, after the death of Oscar winner Gene Hackman and his wife and caregiver Betsy Arakawa, Heming Willis wrote in a vulnerable Instagram caption that "caregivers need care too. Period. Full stop. #supportcaregivers." On Father's Day, Heming Willis spoke out about what their "unexpected journey" looks like for her family. In an Instagram post on Sunday, June 15, she wished a happy Father's Day "to all the dads living with disability or disease, showing up in the ways they can and to the children who show up for them." She added that Willis teaches their children "resilience, unconditional love, and the quiet strength in simply being present." The couple share two daughters: Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11. The actor also has three adult daughters with his ex-wife and Oscar nominee Demi Moore: Rumer, 36; Scout, 34; and Tallulah, 31. But Heming Willis also shared that she was feeling "profoundly sad today," reflecting, "I wish, with every cell in my body, that things could be different for him and lighter for our family." She said the phrase "it is what it is" helps her "return to the acceptance of what is and not fight this every step of the way like I used to." On March 21, the couple celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary: "Today marks 16 years with the love of a lifetime," Heming Willis wrote in a heartfelt Instagram caption. "We've shared monumental highs and devastating lows, and through it all, we've built something timeless," Heming Willis wrote. "I'm so deeply grateful for every chapter I've had with him—and all the ones we'll continue to write, in our language of unconditional love."
Forbes
6 days ago
- Forbes
ABC News Announces ‘Emma And Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey – A Diane Sawyer Special'
ABC News will present Emma and Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey – A Diane Sawyer Special on Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 8 p.m. ET. Hosted by Diane Sawyer, the program offers an intimate look at Bruce Willis's life following his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis, and the strength and advocacy of his wife, Emma Heming Willis. Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is described as a group of brain disorders caused by progressive damage to the frontal lobes (behind the forehead) and/or the temporal lobes (behind the ears). In March 2022, Willis was diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder that happens when the parts of the brain responsible for speech, comprehension, reading, or writing are damaged. In February 2023, his family announced that the diagnosis had been refined to frontotemporal dementia. Rising to Early Fame Bruce Willis rose to stardom opposite Cybill Shepherd in his Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning role as wisecracking detective David Addison on the dramedy Moonlighting, which aired from 1985 to 1989. His big-screen breakthrough came in 1988 with Die Hard, which grew into a franchise spanning five films. Over the next three decades, Willis headlined a string of box office hits, including Pulp Fiction, The Fifth Element, Armageddon, The Sixth Sense, and Unbreakable. In addition to his film work, Willis ventured into stage performance, music, and producing. A Personal and Public Journey In the special, Emma and Bruce Willis share their emotional journey, the realities of living with FTD, and their mission to raise awareness for dementia research and support. The program also features insights from medical experts, family, and friends, offering both a deeply personal portrait of the couple and a broader conversation about the impact of neurological diseases.
