Bruce Willis’s wife Emma Heming has spoken out about the painful decision to move the actor into a specialized home for dementia care, and she’s earned the backing of his ex-wife, Demi Moore, despite public backlash.
The 70-year-old Die Hard star was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2022, forcing his family to rethink daily life. In an ABC special with Diane Sawyer, Emma and Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey, which aired August 26, 2025, Emma opened up about the moment she realized their family home was no longer enough.
“It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make so far,” she admitted. The move, she explained, was not about stepping back but about balancing everyone’s needs. “Bruce would want our daughters to grow up in a space that was more tailored to their needs, not his. That’s why this had to be his second home.”
Emma described the new facility as a warm, family-like place where Bruce receives round-the-clock professional support. She emphasized that she and their children still spend meaningful time with him there, calling it “a house that is filled with love and warmth and care and laughter.”
But the decision drew mixed reactions online after the special aired. Some accused her of abandoning her husband, prompting Emma to respond directly on Instagram. “I knew by sharing our story we’d see two camps: people with opinions, and people with actual experience,” she said in a video posted August 29.
Quoting her therapist’s advice (later published in her memoir The Unexpected Journey) Emma added: “Everyone will have an opinion, but most don’t have the experience to back it up. And if that’s the case, they shouldn’t offer their two cents.”
She doubled down on the point, reminding critics that every case of dementia looks different behind closed doors. “Even if someone is familiar with the disease, they’re not in our home. They don’t know our family dynamics. The opinions are so loud, but if they don’t have the experience, they don’t get a say, and they definitely don’t get a vote.”
Demi Moore, who was married to Willis for 13 years, publicly threw her support behind Emma during an interview with Oprah Winfrey. “So much fell on Emma to really figure this whole thing out,” Demi said.
“I have so much compassion for her in this. There’s no way anybody could have anticipated this, and she’s done a masterful job.”
Demi praised Emma’s courage in balancing fear with strength, adding that her book rightly emphasizes the need for caregivers to look after themselves. “If you don’t put time into making sure you’re okay, you can’t be there for anyone else,” she said.
While some social media users criticized Demi for weighing in, others applauded both women for navigating an impossible situation with honesty and grace. “This family is going through enough,” one Redditor wrote. “Can we please stay out of their personal business?”
As Willis continues his battle with frontotemporal dementia, Demi’s words serve as a reminder that love can evolve without fading. Hers and Emma’s dedication to Willis’ health is a testament to family, resilience, and the ability to honor the people who’ve shaped our lives.
READ MORE
- Bruce Willis’ wife gives huge dementia update – actor moved to “second home”
- Rumer Willis shares emotional pictures of dad Bruce Willis with his 1-year-old granddaughter Louetta
