Bruce Willis’ wife has issued a plea after the tragic deaths of Gene Hackman and his devoted wife, Betsy Arakawa.
Emma Heming Willis, who tied the knot with the Die Hard star in 2009, has dedicated herself to being his primary carer in recent years and knows all too well the challenges Betsy would have faced while looking after her husband as his Alzheimer’s disease progressed.
Bruce, 69, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in 2023, just one year after retiring from the acting world following his aphasia diagnosis. Those closest to the legendary action hero have sadly said that he is now “non-verbal”, and that the “the joie de vivre is gone”.
Now, Emma has expressed her deepest sympathies and understanding for Betsy, and shared that there is “some learning” to take from the couple’s deaths. The pair were found dead at their home on Sunset Trail, New Mexico, along with one of their beloved pet dogs, Zinna, last month.
It’s believed Betsy, 65, died around one week before Gene’s passing, with the 95-year-old silver screen icon likely too confused to realise that his wife was lying lifeless on the floor of their bathroom. Speaking about the tragedy in an Instagram clip, Emma encouraged people to support caregivers while opening up about her own journey.
Expressing hope that the heartbreaking story of Gene and Betsy would encourage people to reflect on the “broader story”, Emma urged: “I do really believe that there is some learning. Caregivers need care, too. And that they are vital, and that it is so important that we show up for them so that they can continue to show up for their person.”
She added: “I think that there’s this common misconception that caregivers, they got it figured out. They got it covered. They’re good. I don’t subscribe to that.”
Bruce remains one of the most famous faces on the planet, but he’s stayed mostly out of the spotlight in recent years. In the autumn of 2024, Bruce was spotted in a rare public appearance and smiled as he enjoyed a drive around Los Angeles, appearing to be in high spirits.
In October 2023, filmmaker Glenn Gordon Caron told Page Six that the star was “not totally verbal” anymore. The film creator ,who worked with Bruce in the 80s, told Page Six: “My sense is the first one to three minutes he knows who I am. He’s not totally verbal; he used to be a voracious reader – he didn’t want anyone to know that – and he’s not reading now.
“All those language skills are no longer available to him, and yet he’s still Bruce… you’re grateful that he’s there, but the joie de vivre is gone.” He kept in contact with the star and his ex-wife, along with their three children. Caron told the Post that Bruce “now sees life through a screen door.”
A source close to the family claimed that Emma, 46, Demi, 62, Rumer, 36, Scout, 33, and Tallulah, 31, have been spending as much time as possible by his side alongside the younger girls Mabel, 12, and Evelyn, 10. They told US Weekly: “Bruce has good days and bad days, but in the last two months, there are many more bad days than good.
“This experience has brought the whole family even closer together. No one knows how much time Bruce has left, so they’re soaking up every moment they get with him. Bruce has around-the-clock care, but at least one family member is always with him.”
Also in 2023, Emma opened up about caring for Bruce. She said: “There is grief and sadness, there’s all of that. But you start a new chapter, and that chapter is filled with love, it’s filled with connection, it’s filled with joy and happiness. That’s where we are.”
Last year, as the family celebrated Thanksgiving together, Emma shared a throwback photo of the whole family, including her and Bruce’s daughters Mabel and Evelyn, his ex-wife Demi Moore, and their daughters Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah. Expressing her gratitude for her blended family, she wrote: “I’m grateful and thankful to know this kind of love.”
After revealing that Bruce had been diagnosed with language disorder aphasia in March 2022, the family confirmed that he had progressed to a frontotemporal dementia diagnosis. The disease has a typical life expectancy of between six and eight years but can be as low as two years in some cases.
A further source then confirmed that the whole family is so determined to be with Bruce as much as possible that they are pretty much living together. They said: “They’re all there all the time. Once Bruce was diagnosed, everyone came together to keep his memory of the family intact and to be there as a constant reminder they love him. Everything revolves around him.”
Meanwhile, Rumer, who has always had a very close personal relationship with her father, reportedly brings her eight-month-old daughter Louetta to spend time with Bruce. The second source revealed: “Rumer wants to make sure Louetta knows Bruce. She wants him to be actively involved in Louetta’s life. It’s a very special bond. Rumer and her sisters love their dad so much. They are very conscious that any day could be his last.”
On Father’s Day, Rumer shared a photo of Bruce holding Louetta to her Instagram account, saying: “Papa, I’m so lucky to have you, and so is Lou.”
Emma continues to dedicate her time to caring for her husband Bruce as he struggles with his ongoing battle with dementia. Patients who suffer from the condition can experience a number of symptoms, including unusual behaviours, emotional problems, trouble communicating, difficulty with work, or difficulty with walking, according to The National Institute on Aging.
For more information and advice, call Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Support Line on 0333 150 3456 or visit alzheimers.org.uk.
