Emma Hemming became emotional while sharing the difficult experience of relocating her husband, Bruce Willis, amid his battle with dementia.
“This is incredibly tough. I can hardly breathe when I think about it,” Hemming expressed at the Endwell 2025 conference in Los Angeles on November 20, as reported.
“These decisions are near impossible. It’s not how I pictured our life together,” she added.
Despite receiving backlash for the move, Hemming emphasized the need to make the “best and safest decision” for her family.
“I knew that being honest about this would open me up to criticism,” she stated.
Although outsiders have been critical, Hemming noted that her family has been supportive throughout this challenging period.
“They understand the situation, and I’m grateful for my blended family,” she remarked. “Plus, there’s Bruce’s mother, who is in her 90s. His brother, sister, and cousins have shown immense love and support.”
Hemming, who shares two daughters, Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11, with Willis, disclosed that he had moved into her home back in August.
“I’m sure Bruce would prefer this for our daughters,” she shared during an interview, admitting it was a tough call.
“He would want to be in a place that meets their needs rather than just his own,” she reflected.
She mentioned that the girls frequently visit their father and eat meals in nearby homes.
Admitting she had therapy before discussing this publicly, Hemming remarked on the judgment she faced about her decisions.
“It’s fascinating to see the backlash about how I’m supposedly a terrible person, but unless you’re in the thick of this, you don’t truly understand the challenges,” she stated.
Hemming explained how moving Willis out of his parents’ home had a beneficial impact.
“People don’t see the unmet needs behind closed doors. Now my children’s needs are being accommodated,” she noted. “They can have playdates and sleepovers, which is lovely.”
“Our worlds are much more open now,” she added.
Though Ms. Hemming found her husband’s illness distressing, she acknowledged, “Caregiving is complicated, and you have to navigate through it.”
Willis, who also has three daughters—Rumer, 37, Scout, 34, and Talulah, 31—with ex-wife Demi Moore, was diagnosed with aphasia in 2022. The following year, his family revealed that his condition had progressed to frontotemporal dementia, which can cause language difficulties, behavioral changes, and movement issues.
Hemming and Willis began their relationship in 2007 and tied the knot two years later.
