For Bruce Willis and wife Emma Heming, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in the Willis clan.
In an Instagram video posted Monday, Heming shared a touching anecdote about their 9-year-old daughter Evelyn Penn and her concern for her father’s health after his dementia diagnosis.
“I have to tell you this story, and I’m going to try and do it without crying,” Heming said at the start of the video. “Because when Evelyn told me this story, I was an absolute puddle.”
Heming said Evelyn had asked if her mother knew that people with dementia “can become severely dehydrated.” Evelyn revealed that she learned this after using some free time at school to research “fun facts about dementia.”
Evelyn’s thirst for knowledge was not lost on Heming, who said the trait reminded her of Willis.
“That’s not funny, but it’s kind of funny,” Heming said. “She really is her father’s child, because these two love some just random facts. So I said to her, ‘Evelyn, we will always make sure that daddy has a bottle of water in hand. Thank you for letting me know. But that is the most loving and compassionate thing that you can do is to be curious and educate yourself on your dad’s disease.'”
Heming wasn’t the only one moved to tears by Evelyn’s sweet gesture: Willis’ daughter Scout chimed in with her own emotional reaction. “Omg Evelyn!!!!!!!”, Scout commented on Heming’s post. “That story made me a puddle of tenderness!”
Heming shares two daughters with Willis: Evelyn Penn and Mabel Ray, 11. Willis also has three daughters from his marriage to actress Demi Moore: Rumer, 34, Scout, 31 and Tallulah, 29.
In March, Heming posted an emotional update, coinciding with the actor’s 68th birthday, about how she’s coping with Willis’ diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia.
“I have started the morning by crying, as you can see by my swollen eyes and snotty nose. I just think it’s important that you see all sides of this,” Heming said. “I always get this message where people always tell me, ‘Oh, you’re so strong. I don’t know how you do it.’ I’m not given a choice. I wish I was, but I’m also raising two kids in this.”
Willis’ diagnosis, a brain disorder caused by degeneration of the frontal lobe, was announced by family members in a joint Instagram post in February. The news came nearly a year after Willis’ family confirmed the movie icon was stepping away from acting due to aphasia.
“Sometimes in our lives, we have to put our big-girl panties on and get to it, and that’s what I’m doing,” Heming continued. “But I do have times of sadness every day, grief every day, and I’m really feeling it today on his birthday.”
In a follow-up statement, the family said that frontotemporal dementia, also known as FTD, is a “cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone.” It is the most common form of dementia for people under 60, but “getting the diagnosis can take years.”
“Today there are no treatments for the disease, a reality that we hope can change in the years ahead,” the statement said. “As Bruce’s condition advances, we hope that any media attention can be focused on shining a light on this disease that needs far more awareness and research.”
‘He is pure love’:Emma Heming shares Bruce Willis video on first birthday after dementia diagnosis
Bruce Willis diagnosed with‘cruel disease’ frontotemporal dementia, family announces
Contributing: Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY
