Emma Heming Willis says her children’s lives have been turned “upside down” by the impact of Bruce Willis’ dementia fight.
Emma Heming Willis says her children’s lives have been turned ‘upside down’ by the impact of Bruce Willis’ dementia fight
The model and influencer, 47, has been acting as a carer for her ailing Die Hard actor husband, 70, since he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, and has now used her new book to describe how the condition is changing daily life for their young daughters, Mabel and Evelyn.
Emma said in her new book The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path: “The truth is, Mabel and Evelyn’s daily lives were being turned upside down. For example, with FTD and other forms of dementia, some people become more sensitive to noise, which can cause distraction, confusion, and agitation.
“So I had everyone tiptoeing around the house to keep it as peaceful and serene as possible. This meant playdates were obsolete and forget about sleepovers.”
Emma has also used her book to reflect on the “loud and crazy and fun” times Bruce has enjoyed with Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11.
Father-of-five Bruce is also father to Rumer, 37, Scout, 34, and Tallulah, 31, who he had during his marriage with actress Demi Moore, 62.
Emma wrote about how she recently decided to move Bruce into a separate home with a professional care team, saying their household had become one where “no one was thriving” amid his health fight.
She said the new arrangement allowed the family to “find a better balance and fit” for everyone.
Speaking to Good Morning America on 9 September, Emma defended the decision after receiving social media criticism.
She said: “It’s really not up for a debate. Now I know that Bruce has the best care 100 percent of the time. “His needs are met 100 percent of the time, as well as our two young daughters’. So I’m not gonna take a vote on that.”
Emma added she expected criticism but insisted it was “the safest and best decision — not just for Bruce, but also for our two young girls”.
Emma’s book The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path is out now.