Hollywood icon Bruce Willis celebrated his 71st birthday on Thursday, and his wife Emma Heming marked the occasion with a heartfelt tribute as he continues his fight against dementia.
On the special day, Heming shared a nostalgic photo of the Die Hard star smiling by the water on Instagram, writing, 'Today we celebrate Bruce's birthday.'
Heming, who is the mother of Willis' daughters Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11, used the milestone to promote her newly launched charity The Emma & Bruce Willis Fund, which she announced last week.
'This journey with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) has opened my eyes to the realities so many families face,' she wrote. 'It's what inspired me to create The Emma & Bruce Willis Fund to raise awareness of FTD, support research, and stand beside the caregivers who carry so much every day.'
Willis, who also shares daughters Rumer, 37, Scout, 34, and Tallulah, 32, with his ex-wife Demi Moore, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2022 at the age of 67.
'If you'd like to honor Bruce today, please consider supporting the fund or another organisation working in this space, or simply checking in on a caregiver - a small act of kindness that can mean so much,' Heming added.
On March 12, Heming unveiled The Emma & Bruce Willis Fund during The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration's Hope Rising Benefit in New York.
The charity is 'dedicated to advancing understanding of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) by raising awareness, supporting promising scientific research, and strengthening support for caregivers.'
'This journey has opened my eyes to the realities so many families face when a loved one is living with frontotemporal dementia,' Heming told the audience.
'I believe deeply in the importance of supporting research while also showing up for the caregivers who carry so much every day.'
'Through this fund, my hope is to help deepen understanding of FTD and ensure families facing it feel seen, supported, and less alone.'
'Bruce has always led with generosity and heart, and I know he would be proud to see this effort helping families facing this disease,' she added.
Heming shared a selfie from the event with their daughters, Mabel and Evelyn, as well as a snap of herself on stage and a photo of her place card.
The couple, married in 2009, made headlines when it was revealed that Bruce had moved into a separate one-story home down the street from their primary residence, where he is cared for by a full-time team 24/7.
'If you'd like to honor Bruce today, please consider supporting the fund or another organisation working in this space, or simply checking in on a caregiver - a small act of kindness that can mean so much,' Heming wrote
In January, Heming disclosed that she visits the actor 'all the time.'
She and their two daughters often share meals with Willis, and Heming frequently drops by for breakfast with her husband.
Speaking on the Conversations With Cam podcast, she said: 'It is our second home, and it's a place where we make memories. That house supports Bruce's every need, 24/7, and our other home, where our kids are, now they're supported, now their needs are met and that's worked so well for us.'
She added that Willis has been 'thriving' in the new environment.
She admitted that the decision to move Willis into the separate home was 'one of the hardest decisions' she's faced during his health struggle.
'It did not come easy. Caregivers are faced with really hard decisions, and we have to do what is best for our family, what's safest for our person.'
'Bruce wouldn't want his two young daughters to be clouded by his disease. I know that.'
'They weren't having sleepovers, playdates. We weren't inviting people over... it was a really hard time.'
Willis has been surrounded by his blended family, including his wife as well as ex Demi Moore, and all his five daughters, who have rallied around him
Earlier, she shared with The Sunday Times: 'Among the sadness and discomfort, it was the right move -- for him, for our girls, for me. Ultimately, I could get back to being his wife. And that's such a gift.'
The decision has also allowed Bruce more freedom to reconnect with friends and family.
She explained,'It's made such a difference for more friends and family to have their own experience with him without it being my home,without me hovering,or my anxiety of how to manage the guest and their expectations,and then have to see their reactions -their sadness at what is.'
In the same podcast interview,Heming revealed that her husband is unaware of his dementia diagnosis.
In 2023,Wills' family made the public announcement that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD),a form of dementia that causes a rapid decline in areas of the brain linked to personality and language abilities.
FTD affects parts of the brain that control language,behavior,and personality.Unlike Alzheimer's disease,the most common form of dementia,patiens don't lose their memory immediately but undergo significant personality changes.
The disease also impacts areas of the brain responsible for judgment,impulse control,and decision-making which can lead to patients mismanaging finances -an additional burden on caregivers.
Though Willis has stepped back from the public eye,his family continues to provide occasional updates on his condition.