Hollywood star Bruce Willis‘ wife, Emma Heming Willis, recently addressed a claim that the actor has no “joy” in his life amid his dementia battle.
Taking to her Instagram page, Emma slammed the report and said whoever writes such headlines should stop scaring people. Fans echoed support, sharing experiences and praising her advocacy. They acknowledged the challenging yet multifaceted nature of dementia.
Bruce Willis’ Wife Calls Out Harmful Headlines About His Health
In a recent Instagram post, Emma Heming, wife of renowned actor Bruce Willis, vehemently refuted a report suggesting her husband had lost all “joy” in life amid his health battle with dementia and aphasia.
The former model emphasized that the 68-year-old Hollywood icon still finds joy in his life, urging for a more nuanced understanding of the quality of life individuals can maintain while grappling with neurocognitive diseases.
In a video shared on her Instagram page, Emma asserted, “The headline says there is no more joy in my husband. Now, I can just tell you that is far from the truth. I need society and whoever’s writing these stupid headlines to stop scaring people.”
Willis was diagnosed with aphasia in March 2022, with his family members confirming the sad news in a joint statement posted on their various Instagram pages. Then, in January 2023, they shared an update announcing that the movie star had been further diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.
Ever since, Willis’ wife has shared videos and photos of him looking happy and full of life while surrounded by his loved ones, including his ex-wife, Demi Moore.
Emma Heming Advocates for Understanding Amid Neurocognitive Health Battles
In her video, Emma emphasized the need for a shift in public and media perceptions regarding neurocognitive diseases.
Addressing the tendency to instill fear upon diagnosis, she urged: “Stop scaring people to think that once they get a diagnosis of some kind of neurocognitive disease that, ‘That’s it, it’s over, let’s pack it up, nothing else to see here, we’re done.’ No, it’s the complete opposite of that.”
Despite the challenges her family faces due to Willis’ health battle, Emma highlights the presence of love, connection, joy, and happiness amid the grief and sadness.
She called for an end to sensational headlines, stressing that “there’s nothing to see here, okay?”
In the lengthy caption of her post, Emma noted, “My experience is that two things can be true and exist at the same time. Grief and deep love. Sadness and deep connection. Trauma and resilience.”
Emma Heming Reveals Impact Of Sensational Headlines On Care Partners Of Dementia Patients
Reflecting on her journey, Emma added in the caption how she overcame personal barriers to reach her current mindset, where life began to resonate with meaning and purpose.
She wrote: “I had to get out of my way to get here, but once I arrived, life started to come together with meaning, and I had a true sense of purpose. There is so much beauty and soulfulness in this story.”
The 45-year-old also expressed disappointment in the widespread misinformation surrounding neurocognitive diseases, attributing it to “headline after headline and blurbs of misinformation.”
In a follow-up post, she shed light on the detrimental impact these negative narratives have on caregivers of individuals living with dementia.
“Care partners are already having a tough go in the support department,” she noted. “These headlines that paint this constant doom and gloom picture of dementia are harmful to them as they try to build their support unit around them. Or could sway a person who is wanting to help the other way.”
She added: “I just ask you to consider reframing this negative narrative around dementia. That would be so kind and generous to the next care partner and their loved one.”
Fans Rally Behind Bruce Willis’ Wife’s Advocacy for Dementia Awareness
In response to Emma’s message, supporters shared their own experiences. One commenter empathized: “Absolutely Emma! My mother had dementia, and the last thing I wanted to hear was people saying negative things about her. Even her friends telling me “she’s not like she used to be and don’t like seeing her like that and that’s why we don’t visit her at the nursing home.”
Another added: “Agreed. My mom had Alzheimer’s, I loved going into her care home and visiting with the other residents. Having a good sense of humor has always helped me get through hard moments.”
“You are making a difference! This world needs more inspiring human beings like yourself,” a third person added.
A fourth individual wrote, “I’m not sure I understand a silver lining to dementia, but I do agree with the fact that there are many facets to it. I’ve worked with some dementia clients and I did have some humorous situations. No one would ‘get it,’ but I felt there had to be some levity for both me and the client.”