Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Heming Willis, has opened up about what the holidays look like when you're caring for a loved one with dementia.
In a deeply personal post on her blog, Heming, 47, revealed how Christmas has become more complicated since the 70-year-old “Die Hard” actor was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
She described the season as a time that now arrives “tangled in a web of grief,” but one that still holds meaning.
“Moments that once brought uncomplicated joy may arrive tangled in a web of grief,” she wrote.
“I know this because I’m living it.”
Heming acknowledged that “holidays look different now” in a post on her blog. Credit: Emma Heming Willis/Instagram
"Dementia doesn’t erase memories"
Reflecting on Willis' former role as the holiday MVP, Heming painted a picture of past Christmases filled with his joyful energy.
“He loved this time of year - the energy, family time, the traditions,” she shared.
“He was the pancake-maker, the get-out-in-the-snow-with-the-kids guy, the steady presence moving through the house as the day unfolded.”
Those memories, she said, still exist, but now come with a painful contrast.
“Dementia doesn’t erase those memories. But it does create space between then and now. And that space can ache.”
The mother of two admitted that it’s hard not to notice all the little things her husband can no longer do. “I find myself, harmlessly, cursing Bruce’s name while wrestling with the holiday lights or taking on tasks that used to be his,” she said.
“Not because I’m mad at him, never that, but because I miss the way he once led the holiday charge.”
“Yes, he taught me well, but I’m still allowed to feel annoyed that this is one more reminder of how things have changed,” she added.
Heming also addressed the internal and external pressure caregivers feel to make the holidays seem “normal.”
“When dementia is part of your family, 'normal' becomes a moving target,” she wrote.
Still, she urged others in similar situations to adapt and make new traditions.
“This holiday season, our family will still unwrap gifts and sit together at breakfast. But instead of Bruce making our favorite pancakes, I will,” she shared.
“We’ll put on a holiday movie. There will be laughter and cuddles. And there will almost certainly be tears because we can grieve and make room for joy.”
“The joy doesn’t cancel out the sadness. The sadness doesn’t cancel out the joy. They coexist,” she concluded.
Bruce and Emma in 2019. Credit: Theo Wargo/Getty
"You’re not failing if things look different"
The blog post wasn’t just a reflection - Heming also included heartfelt reminders for those facing similar challenges during the holidays.
“You’re not failing if things look different. You’re adapting,” she wrote.
“Grief is not a sign of ingratitude. It’s a sign of love.”
She ended on a hopeful note: “There’s no denying that the holidays are different now. But different doesn’t mean empty. It doesn’t mean broken. It doesn’t mean devoid of meaning. There is still connection. There is still love. There is still joy to be had.”
Heming and Bruce share two daughters, Mabel Ray and Evelyn Penn. He also has three older daughters - Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah - with ex-wife Demi Moore.
Bruce Willis was diagnosed with FTD in 2023. Credit: Joshua Blanchard/Getty
Williis was first diagnosed with aphasia in 2022, before his condition was updated to frontotemporal dementia in 2023.
The disorder impacts behavior and personality, and there is no cure.
In an interview with People last month, Heming said Christmas still matters in their household. “Bruce loved Christmas, and we love celebrating it with him,” she said. “I think it’s important to put ‘Die Hard’ on because it’s a Christmas movie.”