Emma Heming Willis has opened up about how her family’s holiday celebrations have changed as her husband, Bruce Willis, continues to face the challenges of dementia. In an interview with People, published on November 27, 2023, Heming Willis discussed the adaptations they have made for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“Bruce loved Christmas, and we love celebrating it with him. It just looks different, so we’ve kind of adapted to that,” she said during the End Well 2025 conference in Los Angeles. The model emphasized the importance of creating new memories while maintaining cherished traditions. “You have to learn and adapt… Life goes on. Dementia is hard, but there is still joy in it,” she added, highlighting the resilience of her family.
Bruce Willis was first diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder, in March 2022. In early 2023, his family announced that his condition had progressed to frontotemporal dementia, a severe brain disease that affects communication and behavior. Rumer Willis, the couple’s daughter, recently provided an update on her father’s health through her Instagram account, sharing both the difficulties and the gratitude they feel during this time.
“People always ask me how he is doing, and I think it’s kind of a hard one to answer because the truth is that anybody with FTD is not doing great,” Rumer stated. “But he’s doing OK in terms of somebody who’s dealing with frontotemporal dementia.” She expressed gratitude for the moments they still share, saying, “I’m so happy and grateful that I still get to go and hug him, whether he recognizes me or not.”
In August, Heming Willis revealed that Bruce had been moved to a second home equipped with a round-the-clock care team. This decision was one of the hardest she has faced. During an ABC special titled Emma and Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey – A Diane Sawyer Special, she noted, “But I knew, first and foremost, Bruce would want that for our daughters.”
The couple shares two daughters, Mabel, aged 13, and Evelyn, aged 11, while Bruce has three daughters, Rumer, Scout (aged 34), and Tallulah (aged 31), from his previous marriage to actress Demi Moore. Heming Willis also touched on the positive impact of the second home in her memoir, The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path, released in September 2023.
“One benefit of getting help, whether you bring it into your home or have your person move to a community-based setting, is the ability to get back to your original role in your person’s life,” she wrote. This shift allowed her to reframe her experience and focus on enjoying the time they have together. She expressed immense gratitude for her care team, stating, “There’s nothing I could ever do to repay our care team for that.”
Through her candid reflections, Emma Heming Willis continues to shed light on the realities of living with a loved one affected by dementia, illustrating the balance of joy and sorrow in their lives.