Emma Heming Willis, wife of actor Bruce Willis, spoke candidly about how she’s dealing with the reality of his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis.
On Sunday, Willis turned 68 and Heming Willis posted a video to her Instagram page expressing her feelings on her husband’s big day.
“Today is my husband’s birthday. I have started the morning by crying as you can see by my swollen eyes and snotty nose. I just think it’s important that you see all sides of this,” she explained.
Continuing, she said, “I always get this message or people will always tell me that, ‘Oh, you’re so strong. I don’t know how you do it.'”
“I’m not given a choice. I wish I was, but I’m also raising two kids in this,” Heming Willis, 44, added.
She continued to tell viewers, “Sometimes in our lives, we have to put our big girl panties on and get to it. And that’s what I’m doing.”
However, she noted she does “have times of sadness, every day” and “grief every day,” but she was “really feeling it” on his birthday.
Heming Willis also shared a special message with Willis’ fans in the caption.
“Today is one of those days of feeling the grief and sadness. But the silver lining or the flip side is that I’m so lucky to feel your warmth and love that is directed to my husband and our family. I see your messages, your stories that you share, and all I can say is thank you,” she wrote.
Continuing, she wrote, “Your connection helps me and I hope it helps you in a small way to know that I see you and I deeply understand your journey as well.”
On Feb. 16, Heming Willis posted a statement to her Instagram page on behalf of Willis’ family and revealed he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a common cause of dementia that affects language, personality, behavior, and movement, according to Hopkins Medicine.org.
“Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD),” she shared on her Instagram page. “Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.”