Bruce Willis' wife celebrates the actor's birthday with a touching tribute amid dementia diagnosis
As famed action star Bruce Willis marked his 68th birthday celebration on March 19, his wife, Emma Heming, opened up about feeling "grief and sadness" over the former actor's health concerns.
Back in February, Bruce's family revealed that he has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, an umbrella term for disorders affecting the areas of the brain that deal with personality, behavior and language. The sickness is untreatable, and it happened less than a year after Bruce retired from acting because of growing cognitive difficulties.
Nevertheless, his nearest and dearest remained hopeful and positive amid these challenging times, as seen during a celebration for Bruce's 68th birthday.
His wife, Emma, meanwhile opened up about the thoughts she was bearing during his special day.
"I have started the morning by crying as you can see by my swollen eyes and snotty nose," Emma said in a video posted on her Instagram account. "I just think that it's important that you see all sides of this."
She went on to address the questions she kept receiving from other people about how she is managing to stay strong despite her husband's deteriorating health, to which she confessed that she "is not given a choice" in the matter.
"I wish I was, but I'm also raising two kids in this, so sometimes, in our lives, we have to put our big girl panties on and get to it. And that's what I'm doing," Emma said. "And I'm really feeling it today on his birthday.
While giving updates about Bruce's health to his fans is like a "knife in her heart," she still does it because she knows how much they care for her husband. She also expressed appreciation to those who are sharing their journey as they battle through their own illnesses.
"I’m so lucky to feel your warmth and love that is directed to my husband and our family. I see your messages, your stories that you share, and all I can say is thank you. Your connection helps me and I hope it helps you in a small way to know that I see you and I deeply understand your journey as well," Emma wrote in the caption.
In March 2022, Bruce's family announced that the actor has been diagnosed with aphasia, a neurological condition that affects one's ability to communicate, and that he would be retiring. A year later, they announced that he has frontotemporal dementia.
Experts have yet to discover what causes the disease in a person, but it can result in personality changes, and can make someone socially inappropriate, impulsive or apparently uncaring towards those around them.
