Emma Heming Willis took to Instagram on Father’s Day to share an emotional tribute to her husband, Bruce Willis, reflecting on their journey together amid his battle with frontotemporal dementia. In her post, Emma expressed feeling “profoundly sad,” acknowledging the challenges they face as a family while honoring Bruce’s resilience.
“Happy Father’s Day to all the dads living with disability or disease, showing up in the ways they can and to the children who show up for them,” she wrote, alongside a touching photo of Bruce embracing one of their daughters. Emma went on to praise the invaluable lessons Bruce has taught their daughters, Mabel Ray and Evelyn Penn. “What Bruce teaches our girls goes far beyond words. Resilience, unconditional love, and the quiet strength in simply being present,” Emma shared.
Emma also reflected on Bruce’s diagnosis, which was first announced in 2022 when he retired from acting due to aphasia, a condition that later progressed to frontotemporal dementia. “I’m profoundly sad today. I wish, with every cell in my body, that things could be different for him and lighter for our family,” she expressed. She further explained the phrase “It is what it is” from the frontotemporal dementia community, stating that it brings her a sense of grounding and acceptance in the face of the challenges they now face.
Bruce, who married Emma in 2009, shares two daughters with her, and is also a father to three adult daughters from his previous marriage to Demi Moore. In closing, Emma encouraged others to celebrate fathers, both present and those they continue to carry with them, adding, “Onward.”
