Overview

• Speaking to People, Heming Willis recalls learning in November 2022 that Bruce Willis had frontotemporal dementia and leaving with little more than a pamphlet and a suggestion to check back in.
• She says she initially misread early symptoms — including a returning stutter and breakdowns in conversation — as problems in their marriage before the diagnosis brought clarity.
• After receiving the diagnosis, she describes feeling relief in understanding his behavior, which helped her adjust her approach to caregiving.
• Heming Willis has since moved her husband to a nearby one‑story residence with round‑the‑clock support, a decision she discussed in an ABC special that aired August 26.
• In her book, The Unexpected Journey (out Sept. 9), she aims to offer practical guidance for caregivers and encourage earlier recognition and treatment pathways for FTD.