Bruce Willis' daughters speak out after heartbreaking update on his health

Family Opens Up About Living with Frontotemporal Dementia

6 months ago · Updated 2 months ago

Bruce Willis daughters speak out after heartbreaking update on his health

Two of Bruce Willis' daughters with his former wife Demi Moore expressed their admiration following Emma Heming's emotional statement about the actor's condition.pen_spark

"I can't express how proud I am of [Emma Heming Willis] for bravely sharing our family's story in public to raise awareness about FTD," both Scout and Tallulah wrote on their Instagram Stories, attaching a link to Heming's own post.

"Emma, you're a true champion for this cause, and your courage is incredibly inspiring. Your bravery is making a huge difference."

photo of Bruce Willis kissing his daughter Scout split him making a silly face with daughter Tallulah — Bruce Willis with his daughters Scout, 32, left, and Tallulah, 29. (Scout LaRue Willis Instagram | Tallulah Willis Instagram)

"I knew something wasn't right for a while," Tallulah, 29, recently revealed in a Vogue Magazine piece.

Willis has another daughter, Rumer, with Moore.

Bruce Willis poses with his ex-wife and their three daughters and new wife Emma Heming Willis at Demi Moore's book launch — Bruce Willis poses with his ex-wife Demi Moore and their three daughters, in addition to his second wife Emma Heming Willis. (Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images)

"It began with a kind of unclear lack of response, which we initially thought was hearing loss because of Hollywood. We figured loud noises from filming damaged Dad's hearing. But then the lack of response became more general, and sometimes I took it personally. He had just had two young daughters with my stepmother, Emma Heming Willis, and I worried he wasn't interested in me anymore. But that wasn't true at all. My teenage mind made up a negative story: I'm not pretty enough for Mom, and I'm not interesting enough for Dad," she added.

Bruce Willis in a classic tuxedo kisses wife Emma Heming Willis on the cheek, in a black dress — In appearance on the "Today" show, Emma Heming Willis admitted "it's hard to know" what Bruce Willis understands about his condition. (Larry Busacca/VF14/WireImage/Getty Images)

Heming and Willis married in 2009. They have daughters Mabel, 11, and Evelyn, 9.

"We're a very open and honest family," Heming told Hoda Kotb on "Today" on Monday. "The most important thing was to…explain the illness. Knowing the medical details of the illness helps make sense of everything," Heming said about telling the couple's children about her husband's diagnosis.

"We wanted them to know what it was because we don't want there to be any shame or stigma connected to their father's condition or dementia in general."

Bruce Willis is surrounded by his family outside on the patio for his birthday, from left Emma, Evelyn, Tallulah, Bruce, Scout, Mabel, Demi, and Rumer — Bruce Willis was joined by his family, including his five daughters, to celebrate his 68th birthday in March. (Emma Heming Willis Instagram)

"What I'm realizing is that dementia is tough. It's difficult for the person with the illness, and it's also difficult for the family. It's no different for Bruce, myself, or our girls," Heming shared. "And they say dementia is a 'family illness,' and it truly is."

Willis announced his aphasia diagnosis in 2022, leading to his retirement from acting. In March 2023, the Willis family revealed that his condition had progressed to frontotemporal dementia.