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Emma Heming Willis is sharing more about what life has looked like since Bruce Willis moved into his own home.
During a recent interview with People, the “Die Hard” star’s wife explained that the decision to find Bruce his own home “was the hardest thing,” but was necessary as his diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), “requires a calm and serene atmosphere.”
“We have two young children, and it was just important that they had a home that supported their needs and that Bruce could have a place that supported his needs,” she said. “The kids can have playdates and sleepovers [again] and not have to walk around tiptoeing.”
Emma first shared her decision to move Bruce into his own home in August while on the ABC special “Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey,” sharing it was one of “the hardest decisions” she’s had to make since receiving his diagnosis in February 2023.
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Emma Heming Willis said the choice to move Bruce Willis outside the family home was “the hardest thing.” (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
She received backlash on social media after the interview aired, forcing Emma to respond on Instagram. She posted a video in which she explained that “even if someone is familiar with dementia,” they do not understand the inner workings of any specific situation and “they don’t know how your person is behaving or your family dynamics.”
The 47-year-old author echoed the same sentiments to People, explaining that “dementia plays out differently in everyone’s home” and it is important to do “what’s right for your family dynamic.”
“We have two young children, and it was just important that they had a home that supported their needs and that Bruce could have a place that supported his needs.”
“It’s heartbreaking to me,” she said. “But this is how we were able to support our whole family, [and] it has opened up Bruce’s world.”
While he may be living in a different home, Emma said his relationship with their two daughters remains strong.
Emma explained that moving to his own place has “opened up Bruce’s world.” (Larry Busacca/VF14/WireImage/Getty Images)
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The new home, where Bruce lives with round-the-clock care from professional caregivers, is only a short distance from the family home, and they visit often. Emma previously told Diane Sawyer that she visits him every morning and every night, and called it their “second home.”
“I get to go back to being Bruce’s wife and the kids can be kids and there’s beauty in that, and I’m so grateful for that,” she told People. “I just get to be with him in these moments and that is because of this set-up we have. It’s been helpful for us.”
When speaking to Sawyer, Emma said she knew this is what “Bruce would want for our daughters.” She explained he would want them to live in a home that was “tailored to their needs.”
Bruce married Emma in March 2009. They have two daughters together: Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11.
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Emma Heming Willis and Bruce Willis married in March 2009. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
His ex-wife, actress Demi Moore, recently commended Emma for her commitment to caring for Bruce during an appearance on “The Oprah Podcast,” saying she has “so much compassion for her.”
“There is no road map for how to deal with this,” she said. “So much fell on Emma to really figure this whole thing out. And the most beautiful thing, and she talks about this in the book, was recognizing the importance for caregivers that they have to take care of themselves. If they don’t put that time into making sure that they’re OK, then they can’t show up for anyone else.”
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