Demi Moore has shared her thoughts regarding her former husband Bruce Willis following his public diagnosis of dementia. The 62-year-old actress spoke about the challenges of witnessing Willis’s health decline during an episode of The Oprah Podcast aired on September 2. The conversation also included insights from Bruce Willis’s current wife, Emma Heming Willis.
Understanding and Accepting the Changes in Bruce Willis
Moore, who was married to Willis from 1987 until their separation in 1998 and who shares three daughters with him, described the emotional reality of seeing someone once vibrant transform in unexpected ways. She explained the importance of accepting Bruce as he is now without holding on to past expectations or who he used to be.
“It’s difficult. It’s hard to see somebody who was so vibrant and strong and so directed shift into this other parts of themself,”
Demi told Oprah.
“I really always say it’s so important just to meet them where they’re at. Don’t have an expectation of them needing to be who they were or who you want them to be. And when you do that I find that there is an incredible sweetness and something that’s soft and tender and loving. Perhaps it is more playful and childlike in certain sense because of how much more caretaking they need,”
she continued.
Focusing on the Present Moments with Bruce Willis
Demi emphasized the need to remain grounded in the present and appreciate the current moments with Willis rather than dwelling on the losses or his previous self.
“If you replay where it was and what you’ve lost, it only creates anxiety and grief. So when you stay present, there is so much — and there’s still so much of him there. And it may not always be verbal, but it is beautiful, given the givens,”
Moore explained during her interview with Oprah.
Emma Heming Willis on Public Reactions to Bruce’s Situation
Alongside Demi Moore’s reflections, Emma Heming Willis addressed the criticism she has faced regarding Bruce Willis’s living arrangements after his diagnosis. Both women’s perspectives highlight the personal and family challenges that arise while navigating life with dementia.
