Bruce Willis ‘Doesn’t Know’ He Has Dementia Says Wife Emma Heming Willis
What To Know
- Emma Heming Willis revealed that Bruce Willis is unaware of his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis due to a condition called anosognosia, which prevents him from recognizing his illness.
- She explained that anosognosia is not denial but a symptom of the disease, causing Bruce to perceive his experience as normal and not realize he is ill.
- Emma emphasized that their family has adapted to Bruce’s condition, finding new and meaningful ways to connect with him despite the changes brought by the disease.
Emma Heming Willis has revealed that her husband, Bruce Willis, “never connected the dots” when it came to his frontotemporal dementia (FTD) diagnosis.
Appearing on the latest episode of Cameron Oaks Rogers’ Conversations With Cam podcast, Emma said that the Die Hard actor “never tapped in” and so he doesn’t know he’s living with the disease.
“I think that’s like the blessing and the curse of this, is that he never connected the dots that he had this disease, and I’m really happy about that,” Emma stated, per People. “I’m really happy that he doesn’t know about it.”
Bruce’s family first announced his aphasia diagnosis in 2022 before revealing the FTD diagnosis almost a year later. Since then, Emma has become an advocate for discussing the disease, offering help and guidance to others in similar situations.
Emma told Rogers that, as part of the disease, Bruce suffers from anosognosia. According to the Cleveland Clinic, anosognosia is “a condition where your brain can’t recognize one or more other health conditions you have” and is common in those with “mental health conditions like schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease.”
“It’s where your brain can’t identify what is happening to it,” Emma explained, adding that those with anosognosia “think this is their normal.”
She continued, “People think this might be denial, like they don’t want to go to the doctor because they’re like, ‘I’m fine, I’m fine,’ actually, this is the anosognosia that comes into play. It’s not denial. It’s just that their brain is changing. This is a part of the disease.”
Emma and Bruce tied the knot in 2009 and went on to welcome two children, daughters Mabel Ray Willis (13) and Evelyn Penn Willis (11). Bruce also shares three adult daughters with his ex-wife, Demi Moore: Rumer Willis (37), Scout Willis (34), and Tallulah Willis (31).
As a family, Emma said they’ve “progressed and adapted along with [Bruce],” who she said is “still very much present in his body.”
“He has a way of connecting with me, our children that might not be the same as you would connect with your loved one, but it’s still very beautiful,” she stated. “It’s still very meaningful. It’s just… it’s just different. You just learn how to adapt.”
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