Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Heming, revealed in a January 2026 interview that the actor remains largely unaware of his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis due to the disease’s profound impact on self-awareness and insight. Speaking on the podcast The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett, Heming explained that FTD often robs patients of the ability to recognize their own cognitive decline, making Bruce “not fully aware” of his condition despite regular family support and care.
She described the heartbreaking reality: “He doesn’t have that self-awareness anymore. The disease takes that away.” Heming emphasized that while Bruce can still enjoy moments of joy, music, and family time, the progressive nature of FTD has steadily eroded his memory, language, personality, and ability to understand what is happening to him.
The family first announced Bruce’s aphasia diagnosis in 2022, which evolved into a full FTD diagnosis in early 2023. Heming has since become a prominent advocate for FTD awareness, sharing candid updates on social media and in interviews to reduce stigma and push for better research funding.
