Bruce Willis left wife Emma Heming ‘hopeless’ after being diagnosed with dementia

Willis, 70, retired from acting due to his battle with aphasia in 2022, and was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia a year later.

In an emotional conversation with grief expert and author David Kessler, Heming recalled how lost she felt when she heard the news in their doctor’s office.

“When we got that diagnosis, we walked out of there with nothing. With no hope, no support, no road map,” she explained. “It was just ‘check back in a few months’ and we were sent on our way.”

The 47-year-old model continued: “And I thought, ‘How is this possible? How are people diagnosed and pushed out the door without support?’

Her questions inspired her to share her experiences with other healthcare providers in her book, The unexpected journey: strength, hope and finding yourself on the care path.