Emma Heming Willis is opening up about one of the most difficult decisions she's ever had to make in her marriage with Hollywood legend Bruce Willis. As the actor continues his battle with frontotemporal dementia, Emma is hitting back at critics questioning why the couple now live in separate homes.
Emma Opens Up About Her Painful Choice
In the ABC special Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey, which aired on August 26, Emma revealed that Bruce now resides in a home with trained professional caregivers. The arrangement, she admitted, was "one of the hardest decisions" of her life but one made with her family in mind. "But I knew, first and foremost, Bruce would want that for our daughters," she told Diane Sawyer during the special.
She described the residence as more than a care facility, it has become her family's "second home," filled with "love and warmth and care and laughter." Emma shared that she and their daughters continue to spend significant time with Bruce there.
Emma Addresses The Criticism
The decision sparked swift criticism online, with some questioning why Emma would choose to live separately from her husband. Days later, she addressed the backlash in a candid Instagram video.
"What I knew is that by sharing some of our intimate information that we would see these two camps, people with opinions and people with actual experience," she said. Emma pointed out that caregivers are often "quickly judged" by outsiders who cannot fully grasp the realities of long-term care.
Quoting from her upcoming memoir, she added, "Nothing changes an opinion quite as powerfully as when you have an experience. Even if someone is familiar with dementia or the condition you're caring for, they aren't in your home. They don't see how your person is behaving or what your family dynamics are".
She closed her video saying, "The truth is the opinions are so loud and so noisy. But if they don't have the experience, they don't get a say, and they definitely don't get a vote".
About Bruce Willis' Diagnosis
The Die Hard star's diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia was made public in 2023, a condition that affects speech and comprehension but leaves Bruce physically active.
Emma's journey as a caregiver has inspired her forthcoming memoir, The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope and Yourself on the Caregiving Path, releasing September 9, 2025. The book explores the challenges of caregiving, the adjustments her family has had to make, and the resilience she's found along the way.
ALSO READ: As Bruce Willis's Dementia Worsens, Wife Emma Shares The "Hardest Decision" She Made For Her Husband
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