Bruce Willis' wife hints at 'grief' in being a care partner in dementia struggle

22 November 2023 , 18:38

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Emma Heming Willis has been supporting her husband

Emma Heming Willis has admitted she has been taught lessons in "patience and grief" after her husband Bruce Willis was diagnosed with dementia.

The Die Hard star, 68, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) last year. FTD causes problems with a person's behaviour, personality and use of language and typically develops slowly while gradually progressing over the years.

Taking to her Instagram Story, Emma posted a new message amid her husband's health woes and said she has been taught a number of lessons. The 45-year-old shared a quote which read: "Sometimes, you get what you want. Other times, you get a lesson in patience, timing, alignment, empathy, compassion, faith, perseverance, resilience, humility, trust, meaning, awareness, resistance, purpose, clarity, grief, beauty and like. Either way, you win."

READ MORE: Rumer Willis shares throwback of dad Bruce and Demi Moore after heartbreaking confession

Emma Heming Willis shared a touching message on social media (emmahemingwillis /Instagram)

She started caring for Bruce Willis when he was diagnosed (Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Emma has been Bruce's "care partner" ever since he was diagnosed with FTD. She recently admitted she feels "guilty" while supporting her husband.

Bruce Willis diagnosed with dementia as family release emotional statement

In an op-ed for Marai Shriver's Sunday Paper, the model said she feels 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.

Emma continued: "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 admitted she feels guilty amid her husband's struggles (Getty Images)

She said they're lucky to have access to resources (AFP/Getty Images)

Earlier this week, Bruce was spotted out in Los Angeles in a rare public appearance. The retired actor wore black hoodie while sitting in the passenger seat of a black vehicle.

Hit outing comes after it was revealed he is losing his "language skills" as a result of his dementia. Glenn Gordon Caron, who created the sitcom Moonlighting which starred Bruce, made a heartbreaking admission about his friend's condition last month.

"My sense is the first one to three minutes he knows who I am. He's not totally verbal; he used to be a voracious reader - he didn't want anyone to know that - and he's not reading now," Glenn told the New York Post.

Scarlett O'Toole