“Bruce Willis’ wife Emma Heming shared a loving Instagram tribute on Tuesday in celebration of the 18th anniversary when the pair officially became a couple.”, — write: www.dailymail.co.uk
The 47-year-old model – who got candid about facing complications during the holidays amid the veteran actor’s dementia battle – shared a sweet throwback photo of herself posing with the Die Hard actor, 70.
She could be seen flashing a small smile on her face as he laid a gentle kiss on the side of her head.
Heming penned in the caption, ’18 years ago, he became my boyfriend. With one kiss on the top of my head, time stood still. I’m so lucky to know this kind of love,’ followed by a blue heart emoji.
The couple first met in 2007 and were later seen on public outings together the following year.
And in 2009, Heming and Willis tied the knot in Turks and Caicos – and welcomed two daughters: Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11.
Earlier this year in March, Heming also celebrated her 16th wedding anniversary by additionally sharing a tribute to social media.
‘Today marks 16 years with the love of a lifetime. We’ve shared monumental highs and devastating lows, and through it all, we’ve built something timeless.’
She added, ‘I’m so deeply grateful for every chapter I’ve had with him and all the ones we’ll continue to write, in our language of unconditional love.’
Willis notably retired from acting in 2022 after he was diagnosed with aphasia. The following year, his family announced that it had progressed to FTD (frontotemporal dementia).
In August of this year, it was revealed that the Pulp Fiction star has since moved to a separate home just down the street from their primary residence where he receives 24/7 care.
Heming penned an essay titled The Holidays Look Different Now and shared the reflection to her website earlier this month.
The author wrote, ‘The holidays have a way of holding up a mirror, reflecting who we’ve been, who we are, and what we imagined they would be.’
She added that ‘when you’re caring for someone with dementia, that reflection can feel especially poignant.
‘Traditions that once felt somewhat effortless require planning- lots of planning. Moments that once brought uncomplicated joy may arrive tangled in a web of grief.’
The mom-of-two then shared the positive message that ‘there can still be warmth’ as well as ‘joy’ despite the hardships.
Heming also emphasized the importance of allowing oneself to grieve – even if a loved one or someone close to you hasn’t yet passed.
‘Grief doesn’t only belong to death. It belongs to change and the ambiguous loss caregivers know so well. It belongs to the realization that things won’t unfold the way they once did.’
The media personality continued, ‘It belongs to the absence of routines, conversations, or roles that were once so familiar you never imagined them ending.’
Willis is also father to three other daughters he welcomed during his previous marriage to Demi Moore: Rumer, 37, Scout, 34, and Tallulah, 31.
His family publicly announced that the Hollywood star was diagnosed with FTD (frontotemporal dementia) in 2023.
Alongside a photo of Willis on Instagram, his loved ones shared ‘gratitude’ for the love and support from fans over his health in a statement.
‘In the spirit of that, we wanted to give you an update about our beloved husband, father and friend since we now have a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing.’
They added, ‘Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD).
‘Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.’
His family labeled FTD as a ‘cruel disease’ while adding that ‘there are no treatments for the disease.’
The statement later concluded with, ‘Bruce has always found joy in life – and has helped everyone he knows to do the same. It has meant the world to see that sense of care echoed back to him and to all of us.
‘We have been so moved by the love you have all shared for our dear husband, father, and friend during this difficult time. Your continued compassion, understanding, and respect will enable us to help Bruce live as full a life as possible.’
Last month in November, Willis’ eldest daughter Rumer candidly shared that her dad sometimes doesn’t recognize her when she visits him.
During a Q+A session on her Instagram stories, she explained that she was ‘so happy’ and ‘grateful’ to still have the chance ‘to go and hug him.’
The actress expressed, ‘I’m so grateful that when I go over there, and I give him a hug, whether he recognizes me or not, that he can feel the love I’ve given him, and I can feel it back from him.
‘That I still see a spark of him, and he can feel the love that I’m giving. So that feels really nice.’
When questioned about his overall health, Rumer said that her father is ‘doing okay, in terms of somebody who is dealing with frontotemporal dementia.
‘The only way that I feel like I could answer that in a way that was like “He’s doing great!” – you know, it’s like, those parameters don’t really work anymore I guess, in my mind.’