Bruce Willis' wife Emma admits she feels guilty during actor's health battle

14 November 2023 , 19:53

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Emma and Bruce have been married since 2009

Bruce Willis' wife Emma Heming Willis admitted she felt “guilty” while supporting her husband after his dementia diagnosis.

The Die Hard star, 68, was diagnosed with neurological disorder aphasia in March 2022, and earlier this year, his close-knit family - including Emma and ex-wife Demi Moore - announced in a statement that the disorder had now progressed to frontotemporal dementia.

Frontotemporal dementia is a rare type of dementia that causes problems with behaviour and language, and Emma, 45, has been open about how she has been dealing with the day-to-day battle of supporting the Hollywood icon after his devastating diagnosis.

READ MORE:Bruce Willis' daughter Tallulah shares an update amid his dementia battle

Emma has been supporting Bruce after he was diagnosed (AFP via Getty Images)

In an op-ed for Marai Shriver’s Sunday Paper, the former model confessed she felt guilty because they were able to afford “resources” that others would not be able to pay for. “I struggle with guilt, knowing that I have resources that others don’t,” she began.

Bruce Willis diagnosed with dementia as family release emotional statement

“When I’m able to get out for a hike to clear my head, it’s not lost on me that not all care partners can do that. When what I share about our family’s journey gets press attention, I know that there are many thousands of untold, unheard stories, each of them deserving of compassion and concern,” Emma continued.

The British-American businesswoman, who founded skincare brand CocoBaba, wed Bruce in 2009, and shares two daughters with the iconic action hero - Mabel, 11, and Evelyn, 9. Despite her sadness at not being able to help everyone with the disease, she said she wants to share her journey in the hope that it will uplift others going through the same thing.

“I see that what I share matters to others who may be struggling, and in a small way makes them feel seen and understood. I want people to know that when I hear from another family affected by FTD, I hear our family’s same story of grief, loss, and immense sadness echoed in theirs,” she explained.

Bruce's huge family - including his five daughters - want to raise awareness of the disease

The loved-up couple have been married since 2009 (Getty Images)

Emma said speaking out about Bruce’s diagnosis has helped her and their extended family, and has given them hope. Earlier this month, The Pulp Fiction star’s Tallulah Willis said it was important to spread awareness, so that’s why they keep talking about it.

“If we can take something that we're struggling with as a family and individually, to help other people, to turn it around, to make something beautiful about it, that's really special for us,” she said during an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show.

Emma Wilson