Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Heming Willis, is preparing to release a self-help book titled The Unexpected Journey in September, offering an intimate look into the actor’s battle with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a degenerative brain disease he was diagnosed with in 2023. The book will delve into Bruce’s efforts to continue working despite his declining health, revealing how he worked with directors to scale back his dialogue and keep his condition hidden from the public and his colleagues.
However, behind the scenes, concerns were growing. According to a report by Los Angeles Times, there were troubling signs that Willis was struggling long before his retirement announcement. One particularly alarming incident involved Willis allegedly firing a gun on the set of Hard Kill in Cincinnati in 2020, which led to widespread concern among the crew. Although the producer disputed the claim, crew members were shaken by the event, as no one was injured.
Willis had been diagnosed with aphasia in 2022, but it was later revealed that he had FTD, a more severe condition. In the final years of his career, Willis appeared in numerous low-budget films, often working for short stints with his lines shortened or delivered via an earpiece. Reports from directors and colleagues, including Out of Death director Mike Burns, described witnessing Willis’ cognitive decline firsthand, with Burns noting that he was asked to compress Willis’ scenes into a single day of filming.
Despite the difficulties, Willis’ family and friends rallied behind him, with Heming Willis stating that her book aims to offer hope and guidance for others caring for loved ones with dementia. She shared that the book reflects what she needed when Bruce was first diagnosed and how she navigated the overwhelming uncertainty that followed. Heming Willis has also expressed her desire to help other families facing similar challenges.
Through the book, she hopes to shed light on her husband’s struggle to continue acting and offer strategies for those managing similar journeys.
