Bruce Willis' daughter pens a touching message for her father
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The Willis family's journey through the labyrinth of dementia continues to unfold, with Bruce Willis' eldest daughter, Rumer, sharing a poignant update that has touched the hearts of many.
The 35-year-old actress took to social media to express her longing for her father, who is battling frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a condition that has forced him to step away from his illustrious acting career.
Rumer's heartfelt post featured a throwback photo of her as a baby, cradled in the arms of her 'papa'.
'Really missing my papa today', she wrote in her post. This resonated with many who are familiar with the heart-wrenching journey of dementia.
Her sister, Tallulah, responded by saying: 'Love you sister.'
The Willis family shared Bruce's diagnosis in February 2023, a year after announcing that the Die Hard star was stepping away from acting due to aphasia, a language disorder.
The family's openness about Bruce's condition has sparked a wave of support and empathy from many.
'Hugs. It’s an odd [feeling], kind of hard to miss someone who is still here. Dementia is a cruel beast,' one said.
'With dementia, grief begins so much earlier and lasts longer because you start grieving the loss before they are physically gone,' another shared.
Bruce Willis' three adult daughters—Rumer, Tallulah, and Scout—along with his wife, Emma Heming Willis, have been sharing frequent updates about Bruce’s condition.
Bruce and Emma are parents to two girls, Mabell (11) and Evelyn (8).
Emma has also been at the forefront of raising awareness about FTD, a rare form of dementia that affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, which can cause behavioural problems, difficulty with communication, and difficulty walking.
Her advocacy efforts have been supported by the extended Willis family, including Bruce's ex-wife, Demi Moore.
In a recent interview, Emma shared: 'Him and our girls, who are watching—I got the whole family watching—they’re rooting [for me].'
'I’m here to raise awareness but [also to] make them proud.'
Despite how 'painful' it was to see her husband suffer from dementia, she and the family tried to focus on the 'beautiful' side of things.
'It’s just really important to me to look up from the grief and the sadness so I can see what is happening around us,' Emma said.
'Bruce would really want us to be in the joy of what is. He would really want that for me and our family.’
Emma remains committed to destigmatising dementia and educating her children about their father's condition.
'The most important thing was to be able for us to say what the disease was, explain what it is, because when you know what the disease is from a medical standpoint, it sort of all makes sense,' she added.
'So it was important that we let (our children) know what it is because, you know, I don’t want there to be any stigma or shame attached to their dad’s diagnosis or for any form of dementia.'
Emma's candidness about the family's journey has been a source of inspiration for many, including her stepdaughter Scout LaRue, who expressed her admiration for Emma's bravery on social media.
'I’m tearing up right now thinking about how much I love you and how brave you are.'
Our thoughts go out to the Willis family as they continue to navigate this challenging journey. Their openness and resilience serve as a beacon of hope for others facing similar circumstances.
Have you or a loved one been affected by dementia? Share your experiences and thoughts on this story in the comments below.
The 35-year-old actress took to social media to express her longing for her father, who is battling frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a condition that has forced him to step away from his illustrious acting career.
Rumer's heartfelt post featured a throwback photo of her as a baby, cradled in the arms of her 'papa'.
'Really missing my papa today', she wrote in her post. This resonated with many who are familiar with the heart-wrenching journey of dementia.
Rumer Willis shared a photo of her and her father, Bruce, on social media. Image source: Instagram/@rumerwillis.
Her sister, Tallulah, responded by saying: 'Love you sister.'
The Willis family shared Bruce's diagnosis in February 2023, a year after announcing that the Die Hard star was stepping away from acting due to aphasia, a language disorder.
The family's openness about Bruce's condition has sparked a wave of support and empathy from many.
'Hugs. It’s an odd [feeling], kind of hard to miss someone who is still here. Dementia is a cruel beast,' one said.
'With dementia, grief begins so much earlier and lasts longer because you start grieving the loss before they are physically gone,' another shared.
Bruce Willis' three adult daughters—Rumer, Tallulah, and Scout—along with his wife, Emma Heming Willis, have been sharing frequent updates about Bruce’s condition.
Bruce and Emma are parents to two girls, Mabell (11) and Evelyn (8).
Emma has also been at the forefront of raising awareness about FTD, a rare form of dementia that affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, which can cause behavioural problems, difficulty with communication, and difficulty walking.
Her advocacy efforts have been supported by the extended Willis family, including Bruce's ex-wife, Demi Moore.
In a recent interview, Emma shared: 'Him and our girls, who are watching—I got the whole family watching—they’re rooting [for me].'
'I’m here to raise awareness but [also to] make them proud.'
Despite how 'painful' it was to see her husband suffer from dementia, she and the family tried to focus on the 'beautiful' side of things.
'It’s just really important to me to look up from the grief and the sadness so I can see what is happening around us,' Emma said.
'Bruce would really want us to be in the joy of what is. He would really want that for me and our family.’
Emma remains committed to destigmatising dementia and educating her children about their father's condition.
'The most important thing was to be able for us to say what the disease was, explain what it is, because when you know what the disease is from a medical standpoint, it sort of all makes sense,' she added.
'So it was important that we let (our children) know what it is because, you know, I don’t want there to be any stigma or shame attached to their dad’s diagnosis or for any form of dementia.'
Emma's candidness about the family's journey has been a source of inspiration for many, including her stepdaughter Scout LaRue, who expressed her admiration for Emma's bravery on social media.
'I’m tearing up right now thinking about how much I love you and how brave you are.'
Our thoughts go out to the Willis family as they continue to navigate this challenging journey. Their openness and resilience serve as a beacon of hope for others facing similar circumstances.
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when 
illness strikes, it is now 11 yrs since Ray passed , it took a long time to get some semblance in my life and am now on the path to living a peaceful and happy 
and contented as I am able. I could leave him to get groceries,but was always aware of how long I was gone. My family and 2 Grand kids are always fussing and I tell them not to wrap me in cotton wool as I can handle most things ,if I need help I will let them know. At the time he passed I was going through aggressive stage 3 breast cancer, it just proves what stress does to your health. Now I am having heart problems ,as they say you can’t keep a good man down or should I sayWOMAN in my case.l have told my GP I intend to live to a 100 .i might be pushing it a little but you have to have a goal in life. It’s a pity we all live too far from our forum friends ,or we could all meet up and have a party 
to celebrate . Happy times are ahead. Thank you. My friend.
