Since Bruce Willis was diagnosed with aphasia and, later, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), his family has rallied around him. His wife, Emma Heming, has left everything to dedicate herself to caring for the actor, but at the same time shares how they are experiencing it to raise awareness and normalize neurodegenerative diseases, which continue to be a taboo subject in our society.
Heming is very vocal about how he feels as a family member caring for a person who suffers from one of these diseases, living day to day and witnessing firsthand how the actor is losing his memory. What's more, the businesswoman has even recently acknowledged that she feels "guilty" because they have resources that other families do not have.
"I suffer with guilt, knowing that I have resources that others do not," Heming writes in an article for the Sunday newspaper edited by Maria Shriver.
"When I have the opportunity to go for a walk to clear my mind, I don't forget that not all caregivers can do it. When what I share about our journey gets press coverage, I know there are thousands of stories without told, unheard; each one deserving of compassion and concern," he explains.
The actor's wife assures that, in some way, these types of thoughts are also what gives her the strength to continue sharing precisely all those stories.
"I see that what I share matters to others who may be struggling, and in some way makes them feel visible and understood," Heming adds. The businesswoman wants to ensure that all families with people who suffer from these types of diseases have her place. "I want people to know that when I hear that there is another family affected with FTD, I hear the same story of grief, loss and immense sadness that is in our family echoing in theirs," she insists.
In recent days, it has been confirmed that the actor's health continues to worsen. The actor's wife and daughters knew that it was going to become a real challenge on all levels, but perhaps they did not expect that in just a year after his first diagnosis, the protagonist of Die Hard was barely aware of his surroundings. .
The process continues to move at full speed, but the actor's wife claims to be much more encouraged than at the beginning of the process. "I have much more hope today than I did with my first diagnosis," she writes. "I now understand this disease more, and I am connected to an incredible community that supports me."
Since he was diagnosed, Heming has dedicated all her time to caring for her husband, but also to taking advantage of her position as a public figure to draw attention to the disease. "I just hope that this way our family can find happiness in the little things, and that others can feel empowered."
