Bruce Willis' wife Emma pays tribute to husband with new charity fund
Emma Heming Willis is launching a new fund to help support people with dementia, and their caregivers.
Emma Heming Willis has launched the Emma and Bruce Willis Fund for Dementia Research and Caregiver Support.
The 47-year-old wife of Die Hard legend Bruce - who was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in late 2022 - was accepting the Susan Newhouse and Si Newhouse Award of Hope at The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration's Hope Rising Benefit, when she revealed details of the new charity.
She said: "This journey has opened my eyes to the realities so many families face when a loved one is living with frontotemporal dementia.
“I believe deeply in the importance of supporting research while also showing up for the caregivers who carry so much every day.
"Through this fund, my hope is to help deepen understanding of FTD and ensure families facing it feel seen, supported, and less alone. Bruce has always led with generosity and heart, and I know he would be proud to see this effort helping families facing this disease.”
In a press release, it was later revealed that the fund - housed at the Entertainment Industry Foundation - is committed to "advancing understanding of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) by raising awareness, supporting promising scientific research and strengthening support for caregivers".
The model, author and entrepreneur recently revealed she was inspired to launch her women's brain health brand Make Time Wellness after the AGE-year-old actor's diagnosis.
She told PEOPLE magazine: "I think as women in society, we tend to put ourselves last, and we put everyone's needs above our own. And what I've realised is that if you are not caring for yourself, if you are not finding ways to make time for your health, your hobbies, it's impossible to be able to care for the people that we love."
Emma was concerned after reading alarming statistics about caregivers losing focus on their own health.
She said: "I think that 40 per cent of caregivers aren't making their own medical appointments and caregivers can sometimes pass before their loved ones.
"So that's a reminder to keep me on track and hopefully educate people, caregiver or not, just about the importance of caring for yourself. It's really vital."
Emma has revealed that she and her husband have been living in separate homes now, because of his declining health.
She told the Conversations With Cam podcast: "It did not come easy.
"Caregivers are faced with really hard decisions and we have to do what is the best for our family, what's the safest for our person.”
Emily wanted to do what was best for Bruce, as well as their daughters Mabel Ray, 15, and Evelyn Penn, 11.
She added: "Bruce wouldn't want his two young daughters to be clouded by his disease. I know that.
"They weren't having sleepovers, play dates. We weren't inviting people over … it was a really hard time.
"The decision didn't come lightly, but it was the right one for our family. Our children are thriving, and so is Bruce, and that is the most important."
