Bruce wife: Our family's dementia heartache

'STAR MAY NOT BE AWARE HE HAS IT'

- CHRISTOPHER BUCKTIN

BRUCE Willis' wife Emma fought back tears yesterday as she admitted she is not sure whether he actually knows he has dementia.

The 68-year-old Hollywood star's family announced in March 2022 that he was battling aphasia, which was "impacting his cognitive abilities".

Seven months ago, former model Emma revealed Bruce had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, a rare form of the disease that causes a deterioration in personality, behaviour and language.

And Emma, 45, mother to Bruce's youngest Mabel Ray, 11, and eight-yearold Evelyn Penn, as well as stepmum to Rumer, Scout and Tallulah whom he had with Demi Moore, was understandably emotional as she opened up about it.

She told the Today show in the US: "What I'm learning is that dementia is hard.

"It's hard on the person diagnosed.

"It's also hard on the family. And that is no different for Bruce or myself or our girls.

"And when they say that this is a family disease, it really is.

"We're a very honest and open household. And, the most important thing was to be able for us to say what the disease was... because when you know what the disease is from a medical standpoint, it sort of all makes sense.