Emma Hemming has launched a new charity dedicated to dementia research as her husband Bruce Willis battles the terrifying disease.
She received the Susan Newhouse and Thea Newhouse Hope Award at the Frontotemporal Degeneration Society’s Hope Rising Benefit in New York, while also announcing the Emma and Bruce Willis Fund for Dementia Research and Caregiver Support.
“This trip opened my eyes to the reality that many families face when a loved one has frontotemporal dementia,” Hemming, 47, said Thursday.
“I believe deeply in the importance of supporting research and serving the caregivers who do so much every day.”
Ms Hemming said that through the fund, she hopes to “deepen understanding” of frontotemporal dementia and “help families facing dementia feel seen and supported and feel less alone.”
“Bruce has always led with generosity and heart, and I know he would be proud to see this effort to help families facing this disease,” she added.
Hemming made a similar statement on Instagram, sharing a photo of the two of them cuddling and announcing a new charity initiative.
The Emma and Bruce Willis Foundation’s official Instagram page says the charity is “working to tackle frontotemporal dementia by raising awareness, funding promising research and supporting carers.”
Willis, 70, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTP) in 2023.
FTP is a neurological disorder characterized by language problems, behavioral changes, and motor problems. There is no cure.
Ms Hemming, who married the Die Hard actor in 2009, previously admitted she had doubts about the state of their marriage before Ms Willis was diagnosed.
“Unlike Bruce, who is so warm and loving, he felt a little bit alienated and a little cold,” she recalled in an interview with ABC News’ Diane Sawyer last year.
“It was alarming and scary to do the opposite. I didn’t understand what was going on and I was thinking, ‘How can I continue with a different marriage?'” Hemming added.
When Willis received his diagnosis, Hemming “paniced” and felt like he was “in free fall.”
Hemming also revealed that Willis is living in a separate home with full-time care as his battle with dementia progresses.
She told Thayer, “Bruce would want that for our daughters too. He would want them to live in a home that meets their needs, not his own.”
Like Hemming, Willis also has children Mabel (13 years old) and Evelyn (11 years old). He is also father to Rumer (37), Scout (34), and Talulah (32) with ex-wife Demi Moore.
Hemming admitted in January on his podcast Conversations with Cam that he “never connected” the dots that Willis had dementia.
“I think that’s the blessing and curse of this case: Bruce never intervened,” she explained. “I’m really glad he didn’t know that.”
