Emma Heming Willis is being upfront and transparent when it comes to their daughters dealing with the news about Bruce Willis. Sitting down with their two young daughters, Mabel, 12, and Evelyn, 10, Emma made sure to create a supportive, open space for the conversation.
The discussion was intended to involve an explanation of their father’s frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and aphasia in a way that was simple and easy for the girls to understand. She did not get treated delicately with Bruce’s health changing, instead opted for direct honesty, without shielding her daughters from something that they would have already begun to notice anyway.
To Emma, openness arms her children with the ability to understand and share in their father’s health journey. She is truthful and does not beat around the bush, so she doesn’t keep her daughters behind a curtain regarding what is going on. In this way, Mabel and Evelyn can work through their feelings in an upfront manner and adjust to the situation with as much understanding as possible.
Coping With The Progressive Condition Of Ftd
When Bruce Willis was diagnosed with FTD, it was a sea change in his life and career. Frontotemporal dementia is a progressive neurological disease that affects personality, behavior, and language by targeting parts of the brain that control those functions. It is a condition that not only changes the life of the one diagnosed but also impacts the family as a result of this diagnosis.
The FTD diagnosis was given to Bruce after he struggled with aphasia in the past, which led him to retire from acting. As this is a disease for which there is no known cure, it has weighed the Willis family down emotionally.
Emma has taken on a dual role within her family: being a supporting partner for Bruce and a parent taking care of her children. She was aware that FTD is a degenerative disease that would further deteriorate Bruce’s overall condition. She has also chosen to make her daughters aware of such changes. While she withholds certain information for privacy, particularly that the condition is terminal, she realizes the girls know that their father will not improve.
Emma receives expert advice from therapists, who reassure her that by addressing the physical symptoms, children can begin to understand why Mum or their brother/sister may sometimes behave or speak differently.
Mission to Educate and Support Other Families
Emma has used her platform to raise awareness about frontotemporal dementia and support families navigating this burdening diagnosis. Her journey with Bruce has inspired her to speak publicly about their story in search of a greater understanding of FTD and its effects. Emma requests contact with other families who are in a quandary seeking answers or feeling isolated by the changes brought about by dementia on loved ones.
Emma’s advocacy speaks volumes: awareness brings tools, resources, and community to families. She realizes her family is up against a tough road, but she is determined to use her experience as a way of helping others find strength. Emma has publicly sworn not to let the disease “take our whole family down.” She wants her daughters to see that even in fighting circumstances, the family possesses the strength and character to meet challenges with great courage.
Emma’s dedication to raising awareness includes the early signs and symptoms, such as strange behavior, changes in emotions, difficulties in communicating, physical difficulties regarding walking, and other locomotion issues. She asserts that by informing people of these symptoms, families can know where to seek help faster and, this way, improve their quality of life by better navigating through the living effects of FTD.
Empowering Families Dealing with FTD and Other Related Issues
Emma Heming Willis’ approach to her family’s journey with Bruce’s dementia offers insight into how a family might navigate the complex emotions and challenges associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Her transparency and advocacy remind others that, though neurodegenerative diseases may be progressive, love and support can bring solace and resilience to diagnosed individuals and their loved ones.
Emma prepares her daughters to understand and show empathy toward the changes in their father’s condition through open conversations. She is setting an example by using her voice to raise awareness to show, that though they cannot do anything to change Bruce’s diagnosis, they can contribute to a greater understanding of FTD within the community.
As Emma tells this story, she summarizes the family undergoing some tough realities-their plight-with strength, empathy, and commitment to support each other. Many find the advocacy that Emma did quite relatable; through life-altering diagnoses, a delicate balance of openness and resilience helps guide families through life’s most trying moments.
