Bruce Willis’ wife to release book about being actor’s carer during dementia battle
The wife of actor Bruce Willis, Emma Heming Willis, will publish a book about her experience becoming her husband’s caregiver following his diagnosis with frontotemporal dementia.
The book, which is as yet untitled, will be published at some point in 2025 and is set to be released by Maria Shriver’s imprint, The Open Field. It promises to offer “offer a thoughtful, inspiring guide for those seeking support while navigating a loved one’s dementia.”
In an interview with Shriver’s newsletter, Heming Willis said, “For many people, their first touch point about this disease is received in their doctor’s office. I think it’s very important how this information from doctor to patient and loved one is relayed.”
“Having resources and information readily available is imperative. I know between my experience and other care partners that I have spoken to; our stories are unfortunately similar,” she added.
Heming Willis signed off by saying, “We left that office with close to no resources or support and with a diagnosis that I could hardly pronounce.”
The actor’s daughter, Tallulah Willis, previously opened up on her father’s condition, noting, “My family announced in early 2022 that Bruce Willis was suffering from aphasia, a brain-mediated inability to speak or to understand speech, and we learned earlier this year that that symptom was a feature of frontotemporal dementia, a progressive neurological disorder that chips away at his cognition and behaviour day by day.”
Willis retired from acting following his diagnosis of FTD. The symptoms of which include emotional and communicative difficulty and problems with walking. Around the time of the diagnosis, many of Willis’ recent co-stars revealed they noticed a decline in the actor as he struggled to remember dialogue while working.
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