Emma Heming Willis recently opened up about how her family is navigating life with Bruce Willis as he deals with frontotemporal dementia. The 47 year old model and wellness entrepreneur appeared on the Today show and gave a heartfelt update on their situation.
She told host Savannah Guthrie that things are going as well as they can under the circumstances. “You know we’re doing well,” she said. “My husband is supported and loved and we’re doing the best we can.”
Emma explained that caring for Bruce has taught her so much about looking after herself too. That realization led her to launch her brain health brand Make Time Wellness. She pointed out how one in five women will face Alzheimer’s compared to one in ten men, and she really wants to spark more conversations around brain health, especially for women.
“What I’ve learned is that it’s so important to care for ourselves,” she shared. “If we’re not caring for ourselves, how can we care for the people we love? It’s really important to prioritize our health and our brain health. There are actually things we can do today that will support our brain tomorrow.”
The couple has been facing some tough choices lately. Earlier this year, Emma shared that they decided to move Bruce to a second home as his condition progressed. “It was one of the hardest decisions,” she said, “and it didn’t come easy. As a caregiver, you have to make choices that are best for the whole family and safest for your loved one.”
Her main concern was protecting their two young daughters, Mabel Ray who is 14 and Evelyn Penn who is 12. “Bruce wouldn’t want his girls’ lives to be overshadowed by his disease,” she explained. Things had gotten really tough with no sleepovers or play dates and the house feeling closed off.