Bruce Willis' wife, Emma Heming Willis, 44, has shared a touching story about how their nine-year-old daughter, Evelyn, took a proactive approach in understanding her father's ongoing battle with dementia.
Emma shared her heartfelt anecdote with her Instagram followers on Monday, narrating how the youngest of the "Die Hard" star's brood sought critical health information about dementia to better support her father.
Emma, trying hard to suppress tears, started her story: "So, I have to tell you this story, and I'm gonna try to do it without crying, cause when Evelyn told it, I was an absolute puddle."
Alongside Evelyn, Emma and Bruce are parents to 11-year-old Mabel Ray. Bruce Willis, 68, also shares three daughters, Rumer, 34, Scout, 31 and Tallulah, 29, with his ex-wife Demi Moore, 60, to whom he was married from 1987 to 2000.
Evelyn shared a vital insight about the risk of severe dehydration in dementia patients with her mother. Emma revealed that Evelyn gathered this information from "fun facts about dementia" during her free time at school.
READ: Bruce Willis' wife Emma pleads with paparazzi to give actor 'space' after dementia diagnosis
"Now that's not funny, but it's kind of funny, and she really is her father's child, because these two love some random facts," Emma reflected.
Expressing her pride in Evelyn's compassion and proactive approach, Emma stated, "Thank you for letting me know ... that is the most loving and compassionate thing that you can do is to be curious and educate yourself on your dad's disease."
This sentiment underscores the importance for caregivers, be they friends or family, to equip themselves with knowledge about the disease their loved ones are battling. It's the best way to offer support, Emma affirmed.
Emma connected this heartfelt moment to something dementia expert Adria Thompson shared with her during a previous social media interaction about the disease.
Thompson's message, which Emma reposted, read, "On behalf of the person you’re caring for that has dementia, whether they can express it or not - I want to say thank you. Thank you for loving them, thank you for spending time to educate yourself about dementia."
Concluding her post, Emma encouraged everyone to "keep educating yourself, stay curious and remember to hydrate your loved ones."
Emma continues to be a pillar of support for her husband and a champion for those affected by dementia. Recently, she attended a screening of "Empty Little Boxes," a documentary by best-selling author Max Lugareve, whose mother is also battling dementia.
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She used the opportunity to shed light on her own experiences and raise awareness about the limited options for those affected by the disease.
She shared photos from the event, praising Lugareve and his efforts to raise awareness about the disease. "Thank you, Max, for being so brave and vulnerable to share the journey and spotlighting the importance of brain health," she wrote.
Bruce Willis withdrew from acting last year as he began his fight with aphasia, a condition affecting his language abilities. His family announced his health condition and retirement in a statement at the time.
On February 16, 2023, a joint statement from Bruce's family, including Emma and his ex-wife Demi Moore, revealed the progression of his condition to frontotemporal dementia (FTD). This type of dementia is characterised by a range of symptoms different from Alzheimer's disease, including personality changes, repeated and compulsive movements, craving unhealthy food, and speaking difficulties.
The family's statement read: "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."
The family expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support they had received since the original announcement and shared their relief at finally having a clear diagnosis.
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