Bruce Willis' Wife Names The Hardest Part Of Celebrating Her Wedding Anniversary
Bruce Willis and Emma Hemming Willis' love will never die. Since they first met in 2007, it was clear that the couple was head over heels for one another. Emma gushed to People about how "charming" Bruce was, and the actor took it one step further as he shared, "I was already in love with her." Just two years after they first met, the couple exchanged vows in a beautiful wedding ceremony in Turks and Caicos. "In sickness and in health," the couple promised to be there for one another regardless.
Unfortunately, the couple has had to face that promise as Bruce's aphasia diagnosis worsened earlier this year. In February 2023, Emma, Demi Moore, and his three eldest daughters issued a joint statement revealing the "Die Hard" actor's devastating health news. They wrote, "Since we announced Bruce's diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce's condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD). Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces." The family expressed relief at having a more precise diagnosis but acknowledged that it doesn't make things easier.
Emma has been open about the "grief and sadness" she has faced on Instagram, especially when celebrating big life moments like Bruce's birthday. She has continued to be vulnerable about her experience throughout this devastating time. Even as she marked her anniversary with Bruce, she reflected on the most challenging aspect of it all.
Emma Hemming Willis says special occasions are hard on caregivers
Wedding anniversaries are typically a time of joy in people's lives. However, Bruce Willis and his wife, Emma Hemming, have recently experienced a different reality. The model recently opened up to fans about her struggle with her husband's dementia diagnosis — especially during their 14th wedding anniversary.
The CDC explains that dementia is an "impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interferes with doing everyday activities." Because of this, Emma wasn't expecting her husband to remember the special occasion. Emma shared on Instagram that she confided in a friend about her anniversary, who then sent her a "sweet bouquet of flowers." Although the gesture was incredibly kind, it helped her realize life's big moments are often difficult for caregivers. She wrote, "It got me thinking about how hard these types of 'special occasions' can be on caregivers. When usually our person would acknowledge the event, now their changing brains just can't. And that is what it is."
Even though Bruce may not have remembered their anniversary, Emma lauded the compassionate effort made by her friend — and encouraged others to do the same. She said, "If you know someone that is looking after someone else, don't ask what you can do, just do. This random act of kindness will honestly stay with me for a long time."