Bruce Willis’ wife hits back at controversy over moving actor into home

Bruce Willis' wife has hit back at criticism over her decision to live separately from her husband due to his dementia diagnosis.

Last week, Emma Heming Willis revealed that she'd been forced to make the difficult decision to move the Die Hard actor into a separate home, which is fully equipped for his needs as his dementia progresses.

Willis retired from acting in 2022 after he was diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that impacts a person's cognitive abilities.

He was later diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, which impacts both sides of the brain, in February 2023.

Over two years on from the diagnosis, Heming Willis opened up in an interview with ABC about being her husband's caregiver and how it impacted their family.

This included the decision to have Willis live separately from his 47-year-old wife and two young daughters.

The 70-year-old actor now lives in a single-story home, which has been chosen to meet his needs, with full-time carers.

Heming Willis faced backlash online after announcing the move – prompting the former model to defend the decision in a post on Instagram.

In the clip, Heming Willis explained that she'd noticed 'two camps' form online, 'people with an opinion versus people with an actual experience'.

"People with an opinion... how quick they are to judge a caregiver," she continued. "And that is what caregivers are up against."

Heming Willis then goes on to read a section from her upcoming book detailing her caregiving journey, titled 'Opinion versus experience', which details that most people will offer their opinion on a situation, despite having no experience with the issue.

"Everyone will have an opinion," she reads. "But you have to remind yourself that most don't have the experience to back it up."

READ MORE

FULL TIMELINE OF BRUCE WILLIS' FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA JOURNEY

She continued: "And if that's the case, they shouldn't offer their two cents about it. Nothing changes an opinion quite as powerfully as when you have an experience."

"Too often, caregivers are judged quickly and unfairly by those who haven’t lived this journey or stood on the front lines of it," she captioned the post.

"Sharing openly may invite opinions, but more importantly, it creates connection and validation for those actually navigating the realities of caregiving every day.

That’s who I share for, and so I can build a deeper connection with a community that understands this journey."

If you've been affected by dementia or Alzheimer's and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact the Alzheimer’s Society via 0333 150 3456 or visit their website for more information.