Bruce Willis’ wife Emma Heming Willis has always spoken candidly about the difficulties of his dementia diagnosis and being his caregiver.
Now, she is speaking just as candidly about the heightened difficulties and emotions of the Die Hard actor’s decline in health amid the holiday season and anniversaries.
Bruce, 68, was first diagnosed with aphasia last year, before his diagnosis was updated to frontotemporal dementia, symptoms of which include personality changes, trouble communicating, mobility issues, decreased self-awareness, and others.
Emma took to Instagram following Christmas weekend and opened up about the importance of having a close support system, which she said her husband calls the “inner circle.”
She started the candid video by saying she had just gotten off the phone with a “dear” girlfriend of hers, who she had a “good cry” with, and said: “It is really important to be able to have someone that you can trust with your feelings.”
Emma continued: “Instead of bottling them up and putting your best foot forward and just kind of soldiering through stuff, which I have a tendency to do.”
“But you know, holidays are hard,” she then confessed, and continued: “Anniversaries are hard, but for me this year it has really been about community – building a community – and connection.”
Addressing her followers, she concluded: “I just want to say that has been my lifeline, and I just want to thank you for that.”
She then further wrote in her caption: “Bruce calls it the ‘inner circle.’ It’s people that we are fortunate to have in our lives that we can call, trust and rely on,” adding: “I’m lucky enough to have an inner circle of people that don’t offer a way to fix-it but can just listen. That helps tremendously.”
Emma went on: “That inner circle is also here on this channel. This past year it was imperative for me to finally be able to build community and connection. And you have shown up. People from all walks of life sharing the same unfortunate thread that connects us. I receive countless messages of love and support because Bruce is so beloved.
“That showers on him and I am fortunate enough to stand below that to catch those sprinkles that yet, feel like a waterfall of kindness.”
She concluded: “I wish I could answer all the messages because they are deep, raw and poetic but please know that I appreciate them so very much. It also makes me feel less alone. I am grateful to you.”
Emma’s previous post was in honor of Bruce and their 16-year anniversary, for which she shared a sweet snap of the two cuddling up next to each other while on a tropical getaway.
In her caption, she endearingly wrote: “16 years with this special man. My love and adoration for him only grows.”
