Emma Heming Willis has slapped claims that she is using her husband Bruce Willis’s devastating dementia diagnosis for her own ‘five minutes’ of fame.
Heming, who has been married to Willis, 67, since 2009, has made it her mission to help raise awareness about aphasia after learning her husband was struggling with aphasia.
Willis, who was forced to retire from his acting career, has since been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.
On Wednesday, Heming took to her Instagram to share a short clip of herself, in which she said: “I just saw something about me getting my ‘five minutes,’ which is great, which means you’re listening.”
“So, I’m going to take my five minutes and turn it into 10 because I’m always going to stand up for my husband.”
A photo of Bruce Willis with his blended family of women, including his wife Emma Heming, his ex-wife Demi Moore, as well as their several adult and two young daughters.
Emma Heming Willis and Bruce Willis married in 2009 and have two young daughters together
Heming, who has two young children with Willis, vowed she would use the boost her position has given her to “raise awareness” about her husband’s illness and glorify “carers, who are unsung heroes.”
She continued: “And then I’m going to turn my hurt and my anger and my sadness into something good around something that feels less.”
‘Watch this space because I didn’t come to play.’
Willis’ adult daughter, Scout, commented in a post below the video: ‘HELL YEAH! I’m so proud of you!’
Another user wrote: ‘Good for you! I must confess that my previous perception of you, created solely by the paparazzi, was not exactly a woman of substance. I am so sorry for what you and your family are going through. You truly are a woman of substance and power. I will be listening and learning.’
The Willis family revealed in February that his condition had deteriorated, saying that while the reality is “painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.”
‘FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and it can affect anyone. For people under the age of 60, FTD is the most common form of dementia, and because it can take years to be diagnosed, FTD is likely much more common than we know,” they added.
The statement, which was signed by Heming, Bruce’s five daughters (including Mabel, 10, and Evelyn, 8) and his ex-wife Demi Moore, added that if the action star “could” respond to his situation, he would want to help. spread awareness and bring ‘global care and connection’ to others dealing with the ‘debilitating disease’.
Willis shares Rumer, 34, Scout, 31, and Tallulah, 29, with Moore, 60, whom he was married to from 1987 to 2000. He also has two daughters, Mabel, 10, and Evelyn, 8, with wife Emma, 44, 14 years old.
Aphasia, which the actor was first diagnosed with last year, can affect a person’s ability to speak, write and understand verbal and written language.
Willis’s diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia may include symptoms such as personality changes, slurred speech, and motor impairment.
At the time, Heming said he was dealing with “crippling” pain and said he was “learning to live alongside it.”
In her full Instagram post, Emma Heming wrote that she is “turning her 5 minutes into 10” as she seeks to embrace “this strong and loving community that my family and I find ourselves in.”
Bruce Willis wears a headset so he doesn’t have to memorize lines: The famous actor’s cognitive decline was long considered an open secret in Hollywood.
Last Saturday, Heming posted an emotional plea asking families of people with dementia for advice on how to help their loved ones navigate the world safely.
‘To other caregivers or dementia care specialists navigating this world… Any tips or advice on getting your loved ones out into the world safely? she wrote in the post’s caption.
Heming Willis posted the video to Instagram on Saturday claiming he was on “duty to raise awareness for dementia.”
“If you’re someone who’s caring for someone who has dementia, you know how difficult and stressful it can be, just getting it out into the world and safely navigating it, even just for a cup of coffee.”
