Bruce Willis with his wife Emma Heming Willis
Sarah Biren
Sarah Biren
April 11, 2024 ·  4 min read

Bruce Willis Waited 54 Years For The Love Of His Life

Bruce Willis, 67, has recently made headlines after his diagnosis with aphasia. His wife, Emma Heming Willis, announced the news on Instagram.

“To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities. As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him. We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him. As Bruce always says, ‘Live it up’ and together we plan to do just that.[1]

Despite the upsetting diagnosis, the family is coming together to support Willis. The post was signed off by his ex-wife Demi Moore, his daughters, Rumer Willis, Scout Willis, Tallulah Willis, Mabel Willis and Evelyn Willis, and of course his wife, Emma. She and Willis married in 2009 and their love has flourished over the years.

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A post shared by Emma Heming Willis (@emmahemingwillis)

Bruce Willis and Emma Heming Willis’ Love Story

Bruce Willis and Emma Heming Willis’ relationship has been inspiring to many because they married when Bruce was 54. It only shows that there’s no such thing as being too old to fall in love. They’ve shown support for each other at different events, and they had two kids together, Mabel Ray in April 2012, and Evelyn Penn in May 2014. Heming Willis also step-parents Bruce’s three daughters from his first marriage with Demi Moore.

Bruce Willis and Emma Heming first met in 2007. They publicized their relationship in January 2008 when Emma accompanied him to the Sundance Film Festival for the premiere of his movie What Just Happened? About their first meeting, Emma said, “When we first met, I was surprised at how charming and how funny he was – and extremely handsome.” And Bruce added, “I was already in love with her.” 

In an interview with W magazine, he explained, “I went from ‘F*** love’ to ‘Love is truly the answer. I spent the last 10 years single and, for the most part, unhappy. In a dark place. I never thought that being with someone else was the answer. I would say, ‘I’m alone, but I’m not lonely.’ But I was just kidding myself. Then I started hanging around Emma, and on a day-to-day basis my life became much happier.”

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A post shared by Emma Heming Willis (@emmahemingwillis)

In March 2008, Bruce Willis brought his family to the afterparty to the premiere of Flawless, including Emma, his daughter Tallulah, and ex-wife Moore. It seemed that the blended family got along well through the years. And in March 2009, one year later, Willis and Heming tied the knot. At the Met Gala in 2009, they made their red carpet debut as a married couple.

Then in March 2019, the pair celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows. “We said, we do, again, 10 years later,” she wrote on Instagram, with the hashtag “#happyanniversarymylove“. Later that September, they supported Moore at the book party for the release of her memoir Inside Out with their daughters. [2]

Read: Jeff Bridges Was Kept Riveted by Wife’s Beauty Although She Had Facial Injuries When They Met

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A post shared by Emma Heming Willis (@emmahemingwillis)

 More About Aphasia

The announcement post stated that “Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities”. Aphasia is a neurological condition that affects the ability to communicate. It can occur after stroke or head injury or begin gradually from a brain tumor or a degenerative disease. Therefore, the severity of aphasia varies from person to person. This condition can affect one’s job, relationships, and daily functions. The main treatment involves speech and language therapy to repair these communicative skills. Family members and friends often have to take an active role in the process, which fortunately looks like the case for Bruce Willis. [3]

Although it looks like his acting career is ending, at least for now, Bruce Willis has become a household name for his many roles. He began acting in the early 1980s, but he achieved widespread fame and success several years later in the ABC TV series Moonlighting then for his performance in Die Hard in 1988.

Many of his films have become cult favorites, including The Sixth Sense, Armageddon, and Pulp Fiction. Overall, his movies have grossed more than five billion dollars worldwide. He’s been nominated for five Golden Globes and won one for Moonlighting. Also, he’s been nominated for three Emmys and won two of them. [4]

Many celebrities posted their support for Willis, including people he’s worked with in the past. 

Keep Reading: Robert De Niro’s Six Biracial Children Have Changed How He Views The World

Sources

  1. “Bruce Willis’ Aphasia Has ‘Been Hard’ for Wife Emma: ‘Not Easy Seeing a Spouse Decline’ (Source).People. Jen Juneau. April 1, 2022
  2. “Bruce Willis and Emma Heming Willis’ Relationship Timeline.People. Kelsie Gibson. March 30, 2022
  3. “Aphasia.” Mayo Clinic. March 31, 2022
  4. “Bruce Willis gives up acting due to brain disorder aphasia.BBC. April 1, 2022