It’s a happy birthday to Bruce Willis, who will be 68 today. But while the occasion was joyous, his worsening condition from dementia has been difficult on his family, Emma Willis Heming told a Instagram message now.
Last month Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), an increasingly debilitating form of the disease.
To alleviate some of the stress, Emma uses her Instagram platform to keep fans updated on Die Hard status of the actor. But now he brought out his own emotional state.
“So today is my husband’s birthday. I started the morning by crying, as you can see by my sore eyes and runny nose.”
She admits that putting on a brave face in the months since Willis’ diagnosis has been a strain.
“I just think it’s important that you see all sides of it,” he said. “I always get this message, or people always say to me ‘Oh, you’re so strong, I don’t know how you do it.’ I am not given a choice. I hope it’s just me. But I’m also raising two kids here, so sometime in our lives, we have to put on our big girl panties and get it, and that’s what I do. But I have moments of sadness every day, sadness every day, and I really feel it today on his birthday.”
Emma said her emotions welled up as she posted an Instagram reel celebrating her husband’s birthday.
“I don’t know why I do that to myself because the videos are like a knife in my heart,” she admitted to fans. “But as much as I’m doing it for myself, I’m doing it for you because I know how much you love my husband — don’t cry, Emma — but it means a lot to me, so thank you.”