Emma Heming Willis has spoken of her grief about her husband Bruce Willis’s dementia on his 68th birthday.
The Die Hard star was diagnosed with aphasia about a year ago.
About a month ago, his family revealed his condition had progressed and he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.
Willis announced he was retiring from acting after the aphasia diagnosis, and he has since been out of the public eye.
But over the weekend, when the star celebrated his 68th birthday, we were given an insight into how he and his family were coping with his illness.
Video posted to Twitter by Willis’s ex-wife Demi Moore shows the action star smiling and laughing along as his family sings Happy Birthday to him.
He makes a joke before blowing out candles in an apple pie.
Heming Willis posted a video on Instagram saying she “started the morning by crying”.
“Today is one of those days of feeling the grief and sadness,” she said.
“But the silver lining or the flip side is that I’m so lucky to feel your warmth and love that is directed to my husband and our family.
“I see your messages, your stories that you share, and all I can say is thank you.
“Your connection helps me and I hope it helps you in a small way to know that I see you and I deeply understand your journey as well.”
She then posted a reel of home videos of Willis with his family, including the couple’s daughters, Evelyn and Mabel, as well as Rumer, Scout and Tallulah — his daughters with Moore.
Heming Willis said the videos were “like a knife in my heart”.
Heming Willis said the couple’s wedding anniversary was this week.
On an Instagram story, she said it would be another emotional day for her.
“But … we have so many beautiful things and fun things to look forward to,” she said.
“Mabel’s birthday is coming up — she’s turning 11 — Evelyn will be turning nine, and then the birth of Demi and Bruce’s first grandchild, my stepgrandchild, which we are so excited about
“So so many fun things to look forward to, so many things to be grateful for.”
