Bruce Willis had little regrets about his legacy before being diagnosed with dementia, says wife Emma (Exclusive)

Bruce Willis didn’t look back on his iconic Hollywood career until he was diagnosed with dementia, according to his wife Emma Heming Willis.

“I don’t know if he’s ever looked back[on his accomplishments],” Emma, ​​49, told PEOPLE in an exclusive interview at the End Well 2025 conference in Los Angeles.

“I don’t think he’s ever argued or thought twice about who he is and what he’s done,” she continued. “I think he always enjoyed entertaining people as an actor.”

Emma, ​​who married Bruce in 2009, added: “He absolutely loved it. It was his passion. That’s why I love him. He’s always been a very humble person. You’d never know.”

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Bruce rose to fame in the 1980s when he starred in the television series Moonlighting. During the show’s five seasons, the star won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Television Series Musical or Comedy.

Bruce went on to have a storied career in Hollywood, starring in a variety of hit projects including Armageddon, Pulp Fiction, The Fifth Element, The Sixth Sense, and the Die Hard film series.

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Bruce retired from acting in 2022 after being diagnosed with aphasia, which later progressed to frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

News of Bruce’s health ordeal and retirement was also shared by his daughters Rumer Willis, Scout Willis, and Talulah Willis with ex-wife Demi Moore, as well as Mabel Willis and Evelyn Willis with Emma.

Despite the challenges she and her family face following Bruce’s diagnosis, Emma, ​​who has become a caregiver advocate and author of “An Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself in Caregiving,” tells PEOPLE that there are still “so many” joyous moments in life.

“I think all that matters to us is that I can be there and be with him,” she said. “I mean, our life is very simple. In fact, it always has been. Just being able to be with him, I think that’s a joy.”

As for how Emma and Bruce and their loved ones plan to approach the upcoming winter holiday season, Emma said, “We have to learn and adapt and make new memories. (Still) we have to bring in the same traditions that we had before.”

“Life goes on. It just goes on,” she added. “Dementia is hard, but there’s still joy. I think it’s important not to paint such a negative picture of dementia. We’re still laughing. There’s still joy. It just looks different.”