Emma Heming reveals 'hardest decision' to move Bruce Willis into separate home amid his dementia battle
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Heming Willis, is shedding light on the difficult choices the family has faced since the actor’s diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia.
In a candid interview with Diane Sawyer on the ABC special 'Emma and Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey,' Emma revealed that Bruce has moved into a second, separate home, calling it the "hardest decision" they’ve had to make.
The couple shares two daughters, Mabel,13, and Evelyn,11, and the move marks a significant shift in their family life. Read on to learn more about Bruce’s current lifestyle and Emma’s emotional reflections.
Emma Heming Willis talks about Bruce Willis' health condition
Emma Heming Willis, who married Bruce Willis in 2009, first revealed his aphasia diagnosis in 2022. Just a year later, doctors diagnosed Bruce with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a group of brain disorders that can affect speech, motor skills, and personality.
In an interview aired on August 26, Emma explained the deeply personal decisions the family has made in light of Bruce's condition.
Reflecting on their daughters, Mabel Ray and Evelyn Penn, Emma said, “I knew, first and foremost, Bruce would want that for our daughters. He would want them to be in a home that was more tailored to their needs, not his needs."
Emma and Bruce welcomed Mabel in April 2012 and Evelyn in May 2014. Bruce also shares three adult daughters with his ex-wife, Demi Moore, 62.
According to Diane Sawyer, the family decided some time ago to move Bruce into a second, nearby home that could better accommodate his care needs. The one-story house allows his 24-hour care team to support him in a safer, calmer environment.
Emma discovered that excessive noise could agitate Bruce’s condition, so she stopped hosting playdates and sleepovers for the girls.
“I didn’t know if parents would feel comfortable leaving their kid at our home,” she said. “I isolated our whole family, and that was by design…That was a hard time."
Despite the emotional difficulty, the arrangement now allows friends and family to visit Bruce regularly. Emma visits twice a day—once for breakfast and again in the evening. “We’re there a lot,” she said. “It’s our second home, so the girls have their things there.”
Emma described the space as warm and full of love: “It is, you know, a house that is filled with love and warmth and care and laughter. It's been beautiful to see that, to see how many of Bruce’s friends continue to show up for him, you know, they bring in life and fun.”
Even though Bruce now lives in a separate home, Emma ensures their daughters stay closely connected to him. She brings them over for breakfast and dinner, spends time watching movies together, and creates moments for them to bond as a family.
Emma Heming recalls how she felt after learning of Bruce Willis' diagnosis
Emma Heming Willis described the moment she first learned of Bruce Willis’s diagnosis as nothing short of overwhelming. “I was so panicked,” she confessed, recalling how she struggled to even pronounce the medical terms being thrown at her.
She said it felt like “free-falling,” as she tried to grasp the reality of what was happening.
Emma believes Bruce didn’t fully understand the diagnosis at first. “I don’t think Bruce connected the dots,” she explained. Although he’s now losing his ability to speak, Bruce remains physically healthy and mobile.
“It’s just his brain that is failing him,” Emma said, noting that the family has had to find new ways to communicate and connect. But, she remains hopeful. “But I’m grateful. I’m grateful that my husband is still very much here."
Since the diagnosis, Emma has stepped into the role of full-time caregiver. She also channeled her experience into a forthcoming book titled 'The Unexpected Journey,' set for release on September 9. The memoir delves into the family's story of navigating life, love, and resilience amid Bruce’s battle with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
FTD affects an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 Americans and slowly damages areas of the brain that control language, behavior, and personality. In Bruce’s case, the signs emerged subtly but alarmingly. Emma noticed him becoming less talkative and more withdrawn at family gatherings. His childhood stutter even began to resurface.
“For someone who is really talkative, very engaged, he would just kind of melt a little bit,” she recalled.
Through it all, Emma has remained by his side, adapting, advocating, and finding strength in the support of their blended family and friends.
