Emma Heming Willis Highlights Need for Caregiver Support Following Hackman Deaths

Heming Willis reflects on the deaths of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa to advocate for better support systems for caregivers.

Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found dead in their New Mexico home in February; their causes of death were recently confirmed as heart disease with Alzheimer’s complications and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, respectively.
Emma Heming Willis, wife of Bruce Willis, shared an Instagram video emphasizing the emotional and physical toll caregiving takes, urging people to provide more support for caregivers.
Heming Willis, a caregiver for her husband diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023, described misconceptions about caregivers as self-sufficient and stressed the unsustainable nature of caregiving without assistance.
Authorities revealed that Hackman likely lived for a week unaware of his wife’s death due to his advanced Alzheimer’s, underscoring the challenges faced by caregivers in similar situations.
Heming Willis has been an outspoken advocate for caregivers and is set to release a book later this year offering guidance and resources for those in caregiving roles.