Bruce Willis had an incredible film career that was unfortunately cut short in 2022 following a diagnosis of aphasia. Later, we learned the Die Hard star had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD). His family has regularly kept his fans updated on how things are going in the retired actor’s life. Now his wife, Emma Heming Willis, is taking a big step that she believes her husband would be proud to see.
Yesterday, Heming Willis accepted the Susan Newhouse & Si Newhouse Award of Hope at The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration's Hope Rising Benefit. As part of her acceptance (via People), she revealed the launch of the Emma & Bruce Willis Fund for Dementia Research and Caregiver Support. The fund is designed to support both research into FTD and care for those caring for people with it. Heming Willis said…
Through this fund, my hope is to help deepen understanding of FTD and ensure families facing it feel seen, supported, and less alone. Bruce has always led with generosity and heart, and I know he would be proud to see this effort helping families facing this disease.
Bruce Willis’ family has been surprisingly open about their lives following the diagnosis. Emma Heming Willis has discussed her decision to move Bruce to a different house to get better care. His wife and daughters have talked about when Willis’ health has been good and when it has taken a turn for the worse. Heming Willis has also been candid about her own struggles as a caregiver.
We know that at this point, direct communication from Bruce Willis is largely impossible. It’s clearly difficult for the family. At the same time, there are also bright spots that at least indicate that Willis is still quite happy. The family is clearly trying to help Briuce feel as comfortable as possible.
There has even been some backlash to the way the family has shared information about Bruce Willis, with some feeling they’re too open. Emma, however, seemingly feels that speaking openly about living with somebody with FTD may help other families dealing with the diagnosis feel less alone. She wrote a book on the topic, and the new fund is another step toward helping the wider community.
Celebrities are in a unique position to bring attention to any cause they wish. When it comes to medical diagnosis, they can often become the face of a disease or condition. For many, Michael J. Fox is the face of Parkinson’s disease, and Willis will likely be that for FTD. That celebrity can help bring attention, as well as money, that can be invested in research that likely would not have come otherwise. Hopefully, the Emma & Bruce Willis Fund will not only be good, it will also do good.
