Bruce Willis' Family Heartache: 'Dying' Actor's Wife Emma Heming Admits Celebrating Holidays Is 'Different' as His Dementia Battle Worsens
Emma Heming-Willis said Bruce 'loved Christmas.'
Nov. 28 2025, Published 2:50 p.m. ET
Emma Heming-Willis has offered a hopeful update on celebrating the holidays amid her husband Bruce's devastating dementia battle, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
As Emma and her family rang in Thanksgiving – and prepare for Christmas – she called the holidays "joyous" but noted they're "different."
Emma Heming-Willis Admits Holidays for Families of Those With Dementia Can Be 'So Hard'
Emma Heming-Willis said they've 'adapted' to holidays looking 'different' amid her husband Bruce's health crisis.
Emma, 47, dished to a news outlet Bruce, 70, "loved Christmas" and she and their children "love celebrating it with him."
"It just looks different, so we've kind of adapted to that," she reiterated.
The Pulp Fiction star has been in the thick of a health crisis since getting diagnosed with aphasia in 2022, followed by frontotemporal dementia.
While Emma confessed holidays for families of those with dementia can be "so hard," she insisted it's important to "put Die Hard on because it's a Christmas movie."
Emma Heming-Willis Said Being 'Present' With Bruce 'Is the Joy'
Emma Heming-Willis said their life is 'very simple' regardless of dealing with Bruce's health battles.
The legendary actor's beau also dished on how she's had to "learn and adapt and make new memories."
"...bring in the same traditions that you had before," she elaborated. "Life goes on. It just goes on. Dementia is hard, but there is still joy in it. I think it's important that we don't paint such a negative picture around dementia. We are still laughing. There is still joy. It just looks different."
Regardless of what their family is dealing with, Emma insisted their life is "very simple" and "always actually has been."
"I think that just being able to be present with him, that is the joy. Me being able to be his wife with him. Those are the moments," she shared.
Emma Heming-Willis Has Yet to Prepare Her Daughters for Bruce's Death
Emma Heming-Willis said there is 'anxiety' around 'the next shoe dropping' around Bruce Willis.
Emma recently opened up on the topic of Bruce's death, revealing she has yet to prepare her daughters for it.
"That is the anxiety, right? Like, when will the next shoe drop? But I know that when/if it does, we'll be ready," she spilled in an interview recently.
When it comes to her daughters, though, she said they weren't "there yet."
"The girls are educated on FTD. I think that if they are to ask, I will tell them, but I think that they're more focused on present day, that is where their questioning is mostly, but if it's asked, I will always be honest and truthful," she disclosed.
Emma did stress in another interview her daughters are "doing well all things considered" amid the understandably "hard" situation with their father.
"They grieve, they miss their dad so much. He's missing important milestones, that's tough for them - but kids are resilient, [although] I used to hate hearing that because people didn't understand what we were walking through," she revealed.
Emma Heming-Willis Moved Bruce Willis Out Into a Separate Home
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Emma Heming-Willis said Bruce living on his own has made 'such a difference.'
While working through Bruce's catastrophic health situation, Emma ended up having to make the tough decision to move him into a separate home where he would have round-the-clock caretakers to assist him.
"It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make," she admitted. "But among the sadness and discomfort, it was the right move – for him, for our girls, for me. Ultimately, I could get back to being his wife. And that's such a gift."
While it was the right decision for their family, Emma insisted it was made to help give Bruce more independence and allow him to reconnect with family and friends.
"It's made such a difference for more friends and family to have their own experience with him without it being my home, without me hovering, or my anxiety of how to manage the guests and their expectations, and then have to see their reactions – their sadness at what is," she elaborated.
