Washington, DC [US], September 6 : Iconic Die Hard actor Bruce Willis' battle with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) has changed his life and the way he connects with his loved ones, but his wife, Emma Heming Willis, says their love story has "only grown" stronger.
Bruce, 70, was diagnosed with FTD in November 2022. Long before the official diagnosis, he began showing signs of the illness. Known as a fun-loving father and devoted husband, he slowly became distant and faced language issues, including the return of a childhood stutter.
Emma, while speaking to PEOPLE, revealed that Bruce's condition is a form of dementia called primary progressive aphasia (PPA), which affects speech. "FTD can affect people in different ways, and there are three different subtypes," she explained. "There's one that affects behaviour, one that affects speech, and then another one that can affect movement. For Bruce, it was speech."
Even though his speech has become limited, Emma says Bruce still communicates deeply in other ways. "I feel like our love story has only grown and developed more," she shared. "It sounds woo-woo, but it's just on a more cellular level. I am so grateful that he is very much here, very much a part of our day-to-day."
Emma went on to admit that the journey has been "heartbreaking," but she treasures the small moments with him. "It has meant so much to be able to meet him where he's at, to enjoy this time with him," said Emma, who recently wrote The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path, a book for caregivers.
For Emma, the most meaningful part of this chapter in their life is Bruce's presence in the now. "Bruce is very present in his body, and there is something so lovely and wonderful about that. He's not thinking about what happened yesterday or what's happening in the future. He is very grounded in today."
Reflecting on their 16 years of marriage, she added, "Sometimes, love does not need words. I can just sit there with Bruce, and we look at each other, and we laugh and smile, and that, to me, is more than anything."
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