Bruce Willis‘ youngest daughter may only be 9 years old, but she isn’t letting that stop her from helping her dad as he navigates life with dementia.
The Die Hard actor’s wife, Emma Heming Willis, shared the sweet story about their daughter Evelyn in a series of videos on her Instagram. She began, “So I have to tell you this story, and I’m going to try and do it without crying — Because when Evelyn told me this story, I was an absolute puddle.”
Launching into her recollection, Heming Willis shared, “So Evelyn says to me the other day, ‘Did you know that people with dementia can become severely dehydrated?’ And I said, ‘Oh.’ I said, ‘I didn’t know that, but how do you know that?”
“She said, ‘Well I was at school the other day, and I had some free time and I was looking up fun facts about dementia.'” Heming Willis paused and said, “Now, that’s not funny, but it’s kind of funny.” She added, “And she really is her father’s child because these two love some just… random facts.”
Picking up where she left off, the mom of two continued, “So I said to her, I said, ‘Okay Evelyn, we will always make sure daddy has a bottle of water in hand. Thank you for letting me know.’ And I said, ‘But that is the most loving and compassionate thing that you can do is to be curious and educate yourself on your dad’s disease.'”
Creating a Support System
Heming Willis continued, “It really is one of the most loving and compassionate things we can do as caregivers, as friends, family, is to educate ourselves about our loved ones’ disease so we can best show up for them and support them.”
She closed, “So keep educating yourself, stay curious, and remember to hydrate your loved ones.”
A Special Kind of Love
In addition to Evelyn, Bruce shares 11-year-old daughter Mabel with Emma, as well as Rumer, 34, Scout, 31, and Tallulah, 29, with ex-wife Demi Moore.
Scout commented beneath Emma’s video post, writing, “Omg Evelyn!!!!!!! 🥹😭🫠that story made me a puddle of tenderness !”
In March 2023, Scout paid tribute to her dad on his 68th birthday. Alongside a throwback photo of herself as a child atop Bruce’s shoulders, she wrote on Instagram, “What a privilege to have this man as my father and learn so much about life, joy, mischief and art through him.”
Scout continued, “Today is not necessarily an easy day, because it’s a day full of so deep love, and our grief really does show us the depth of our loving for someone. So I’m trying to be with both today. Grief is a price I’ll always pay to know what it is to feel such love.”
The Evolution of Bruce’s Medical Diagnosis
The Willis family revealed their beloved patriarch’s aphasia diagnosis and consequent retirement from acting in a March 2022 Instagram post. Almost a year later in February 2023, the Willis and Moore women banded together again to share an update about the Unbreakable star’s medical outlook.
“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),” reads the group announcement. “Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces,” they wrote before adding that while “painful … it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.”
We deeply admire the way the Willis-Moore clan continues to come together to support Bruce and one another, from Emma and Demi all the way down to 9-year-old Evelyn. Their strength, dedication, and boundless love are a true testament to their blended family’s incredibly special, unbreakable bond.
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