Emma Heming Willis has offered a positive and heartfelt update on the health of her husband, the iconic actor Bruce Willis, as he lives with a diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia.
A Difficult but Hopeful Update
During an appearance on NBC's Today show with Savannah Guthrie on Tuesday 2 December 2025, Heming Willis was asked about her husband's current state. She described the question as "loaded" and hard to answer, but provided an encouraging assessment. "He is surrounded by love and care, and he is doing really well with an unkind disease," she stated.
The 70-year-old Die Hard star's family first revealed he was "stepping away" from acting in 2022 due to aphasia, a condition affecting communication. In 2023, they shared the more specific diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a progressive neurological disorder.
Adapting Family Life and Holiday Traditions
Heming Willis has been candid about the impact of the disease on their family, which includes their two daughters, Mabel Ray, 13, and Evelyn Penn, 11. In a recent interview with People magazine, she opened up about how the family is navigating the holiday season, particularly as Willis no longer lives at the family home for care reasons.
"It's joyous. It's just different," she explained. "Bruce loved Christmas, and we love celebrating it with him. It just looks different, so we've kind of adapted to that." She emphasised the importance of creating new memories while honouring past traditions, adding, "Life goes on. Dementia is hard, but there is still joy in it."
Defending Care Decisions Against Critics
The model and author also recently addressed public criticism surrounding the family's care choices for Willis. Speaking at the End Well 2025 conference in Los Angeles alongside actress Yvette Nicole Brown, Heming Willis was blunt in her response to trolls who judged the decision to move Willis to a specialised care facility.
"F*** em! As Bruce would say," she told the audience. Brown, who cares for her own father, offered strong support, criticising those who don't understand the realities of caregiving for conditions like dementia. Heming Willis had previously explained that the move was to ensure their daughters' lives and home environment remained as stable as possible, a decision she believes her husband would have wanted.
Her message remains one of resilience and focus on family. "We all are doing our best and making the best decisions for your family," she affirmed, championing the difficult but loving path they have chosen.
