Emma Heming Willis Shuts Down Narrative There's "No More Joy" in Marriage to Bruce Willis Amid Dementia Diagnosis

She set the record straight on Instagram.

Bruce Willis and Emma Heming attend the "Glass" New York Premiere at SVA Theater on January 15, 2019 in New York
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Emma Heming Willis is shutting down misleading headlines about Bruce Willis' life with dementia.

The model took to Instagram over the weekend to debunk a headline that "triggered" her. "The headline basically says there is no more joy in my husband," she explained, before going into why this headline was so mistaken.

"I need society and whoever's writing these stupid headlines to stop scaring people," Emma pleaded in a video. "Stop scaring people to think that once they get a diagnosis of some kind of neurocognitive disease that that's it, it's over, let's pack it up, nothing else to see here, we're done."

Rumer Willis, Demi Moore, Bruce Willis, Scout Willis, Emma Heming Willis and Tallulah Willis attend Demi Moore's 'Inside Out' Book Party on September 23, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.

Emma Heming Willis poses with Bruce Willis and family.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

She went on to explain that there is nuance to all of this. "100 percent, there is grief and sadness. There's all of that," she said.

"But you start a new chapter, and that chapter is filled—let me just tell you what it is. It's filled with love. It's filled with connection. It's filled with joy. It's filled with happiness. That's where we are."

In her caption, Emma further elaborated, "My experience is that two things can be true and exist at the same time. Grief and deep love. Sadness and deep connection. Trauma and resilience.

"I had to get out of my own way to get here but once I arrived, life really started to come together with meaning and I had a true sense of purpose. There is so much beauty and soulfulness in this story."

Bruce's daughter Tallulah Willis commented, "I love you so much"

A post shared by Emma Heming Willis

A photo posted by emmahemingwillis on

The Willis family has been beautifully candid about the Die Hard actor's frontotemporal dementia diagnosis since officially sharing that he was suffering with the condition in February 2023.

For example, Tallulah told Drew Barrymore in November that despite Bruce's disease, "He is the same, which I think in this regard I've learned is the best thing that you can ask for, and what I see is—I see love when I'm with him, and it's my dad, and he loves me."

Emma and Bruce have been married since 2009, and share daughters Mabel and Evelyn. Bruce was previously married to Demi Moore, with whom he shares adult daughters Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah.

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Iris Goldsztajn
Morning Editor

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.