Hollywood icon celebrated his 71st birthday on Thursday, and his wife marked the occasion with a heartfelt tribute as he continues his fight against dementia.
On the special day, Heming shared a nostalgic photo of the Die Hard star smiling by the water on Instagram, writing, ‘Today we celebrate Bruce’s birthday.’
Heming, who is the mother of Willis’ daughters Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11, used the milestone to promote her newly launched charity The Emma & Bruce Willis Fund, which she
‘This journey with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) has opened my eyes to the realities so many families face,’ she wrote. ‘It’s what inspired me to create The Emma & Bruce Willis Fund to raise awareness of FTD, support research, and stand beside the caregivers who carry so much every day.’
Willis, who also shares daughters Rumer, 37, Scout, 34, and Tallulah, 32, with his ex-wife , was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2022 at the age of 67.
‘If you’d like to honor Bruce today, please consider supporting the fund or another organisation working in this space, or simply checking in on a caregiver - a small act of kindness that can mean so much,’ Heming added.
Hollywood icon Bruce Willis celebrated his 71st birthday on Thursday, and his wife Emma Heming marked the occasion with a heartfelt tribute and a sweet photo (above)
Heming, who is the mother of Willis’ daughters Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11, used the milestone to promote her newly launched charity The Emma & Bruce Willis Fund, which she announced last week
On March 12, Heming unveiled The Emma & Bruce Willis Fund during The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration's Hope Rising Benefit in New York.
The charity is ‘dedicated to advancing understanding of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) by raising awareness, supporting promising scientific research, and strengthening support for caregivers.’
The decision has also allowed Bruce more freedom to reconnect with friends and family.
She explained, ‘It’s made such a difference for more friends and family to have their own experience with him without it being my home, without me hovering, or my anxiety of how to manage the guest and their expectations, and then have to see their reactions - their sadness at what is.’
In the same podcast interview, Heming revealed that her husband is unaware of his dementia diagnosis.
In 2023, Willis’ family made the public announcement that he had been .
FTD affects parts of the brain that control language, behavior, and personality. Unlike Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, patients don’t lose their memory immediately but undergo significant personality changes.
The disease also impacts areas of the brain responsible for judgment, impulse control, and decision-making, which can lead to patients mismanaging finances - an additional burden on caregivers.
Though Willis has stepped back from the public eye, his family continues to provide occasional updates on his condition.
