Bruce Willis’ Wife Emma Heming Shares Update as Pair Celebrate Wedding Anniversary
It’s been a difficult year for the Willis family as they deal with Bruce Willis‘ declining health after he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) back in February. And the holidays are especially hard.
Bruce’s wife, Emma Heming Willis, opened up on Thursday, December 28, in a video on her Instagram page where she talked about the holidays and recent anniversary celebration, noting that she had “a good cry” with one of her close friends.
“Holidays are hard. Anniversaries are hard. But for me, this year has really been about building a community and connection,” she said, per People. “And I just want to say that has been my lifeline and I just want to thank you for that.”
Emma and Bruce celebrated 16 years together on Wednesday, December 27. The pair married in March 2009 and have two daughters together, Mabel Ray, 11, and Evelyn Penn, 9; Heming is also stepmom to Bruce’s three elder daughters from his first marriage to actress Demi Moore.
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The Die Hard star was initially diagnosed with aphasia in March 2022 before the FTD diagnosis, which can affect behavior, personality, language, and movement.
In the caption of her video, Emma thanked the community for supporting her and the family and making her “feel less alone.”
“Bruce calls it the ‘inner circle.’ It’s people that we are fortunate to have in our lives that we can call, trust and rely on,” she wrote. “I’m lucky enough to have an inner circle of people that don’t offer a way to fix-it but can just listen. That helps tremendously.”
“That inner circle is also here on this channel,” she continued, thanking her followers. “This past year it was imperative for me to finally be able to build community and connection. And you have shown up.”
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She added, “People from all walks of life sharing the same unfortunate thread that connects us. I receive countless messages of love and support because Bruce is so beloved. That showers on him and I am fortunate enough to stand below that to catch those sprinkles that yet, feel like a waterfall of kindness.”
“I wish I could answer all the messages because they are deep, raw and poetic but please know that I appreciate them so very much,” Emma concluded. “It also makes me feel less alone. I am grateful to you.”
Last month, Emma penned a personal essay for Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper, where she opened up about her husband’s disorder and the effect it’s had on the family.
“In the weeks leading up to our February 2023 announcement that Bruce was living with frontotemporal dementia, I struggled with whether and how to come forward with this difficult chapter in our story,” she wrote. “Yet after our family shared the news, I felt like I could breathe.”
“I have so much more hope today than I did after Bruce was first diagnosed,” she continued. “I understand this disease more now, and I’m now connected to an incredible community of support. I have hope in having found a new purpose… using the spotlight to help and empower others. And I have hope in how our entire family can find joy in the small things and in coming together to celebrate all the moments life has to offer.”
