‘It Sounds Woo-Woo.’ Bruce Willis' Wife Emma Offers Silver Lining To His Health Decline

There have undoubtedly been lots of hard moments for Bruce Willis’ family since the actor was forced to quit acting due to a health condition, which was later identified as frontotemporal dementia. His daughter Rumer has spoken about Father’s Day being particularly “hard,” while his wife Emma Heming Willis admitted there was a “heaviness in my heart” on their most recent wedding anniversary. However, despite everything, she has still found a silver lining.

Emma Heming Willis has been pretty candid about what life is like since Bruce Willis’ dementia diagnosis, both in order to spread awareness of how the disease affects people and their caretakers and to keep fans updated on the beloved action movie star. While she recently revealed that Bruce is losing the ability to communicate, she said she now feels connected to her husband in a whole new way, telling People:

Emma Heming Willis said in a recent interview with Diane Sawyer that her family has developed a new way of speaking with Bruce Willis. I can definitely see how making those adjustments and walking through this journey alongside him would create a different bond than they had before.

She showed similar appreciation for the time she’s sharing with Bruce Willis during that interview, saying she’s “grateful” for him still being there. His wife said there are still flashes of his “hearty smile,” the “twinkle in his eye,” and “that smirk.”

Anyone whose family has been affected by dementia knows it’s not easy to watch someone go through this, so I’m glad that Emma Heming Willis and the actor’s five daughters are able to still hang onto the good that they have with him.

Another positive aspect to come out of this otherwise devastating situation is the work the Willis family is doing to raise awareness. Tallulah Willis said it’s important to use their platform to provide support for others in similar circumstances, and her stepmother is doing just that with her new book. Emma Heming Willis is speaking out on behalf of caregivers in The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path, which comes out September 9.

Bruce Willis’ wife recently revealed that the Die Hard star no longer lives in the same house as his family, moving to a home “not far” from them so he can receive 24-hour care. It’s what he would want for his youngest daughters Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11, Emma Heming Willis said.

I can’t imagine having to go through such a heartbreaking experience in the public eye the way Bruce Willis’ family is, and even when the health updates are tough to hear, it’s so encouraging to know that there are plenty of silver linings that exist for Emma Heming Willis in her relationship with her husband.