Bruce Willis' wife, Emma Heming Willis, is honoring the actor's legacy while advocating for families facing frontotemporal dementia.
In an Oct. 1 Instagram post marking World FTD Awareness Week, Heming Willis dedicated a message to her husband, explaining how his illness has shaped her efforts to raise awareness.
"I can't go through World FTD Awareness Week without talking about Bruce. He is the driving force behind my advocacy," she wrote.
Heming Willis said the "Die Hard" star has created opportunities for her to speak out, and she intends to keep using them to support others.
"I will not let his diagnosis be in vain," she added. "I know how proud he would be to know that he is helping families living with FTD, other forms of dementia and their
care partners be seen and heard."
Heming Willis also reflected on his enduring legacy, describing this stage of his life as another chapter in it and expressing pride in being his wife.
When was Bruce Willis diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia?
Willis, 71, stepped away from acting in March 2022 after his family announced he had aphasia, a condition that affects communication. In February 2023, they publicly shared a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia.
FTD encompasses a group of brain diseases affecting the frontal and temporal lobes, which help regulate personality, behavior and language, according to the Mayo Clinic. Symptoms vary and generally worsen over time.
Emma Heming Willis speaks out about caregiving and grief
The tribute follows Heming Willis' September comments about her family's ongoing grief as they adapt to changes caused by the progressive illness.
Speaking to HELLO! magazine, she described the emotional difficulty of those changes while emphasizing that their lives still include laughter, affection and connection.
"It is extremely difficult and painful," Heming Willis said. "It's natural, we all want our loved ones to be healthy, full of life and being the person they always were. But FTD is a devastating illness that steals things from you very slowly. So the reality is that you find yourself constantly in a state of grief."
The couple married in 2009 and share daughters Mabel, 14, and Evelyn, 12. Willis also shares daughters Rumer, 38, Scout, 35, and Tallulah, 32, with ex-wife Demi Moore.
His family continues to share moments together publicly. Earlier this week, Tallulah posted a photo of herself kissing her father's forehead after he attended her wedding to musician Justin Acee in August.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bruce Willis' wife makes emotional promise as actor enters 'next chapter'
