Amid Bruce Willis' dementia battle, his wife shares an emotional 17th anniversary post: 'I'd do it all over again'

Emma Heming Willis, wife of Bruce Willis, shared her unwavering love for him as he battles frontotemporal dementia.

Emma Willis, a 46-year-old model, marked the couple's 17th anniversary on Instagram with an emotional post featuring a throwback photo of the pair standing in the ocean as the sun set behind them. The image was taken at Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos Islands, where the couple tied the knot in 2009.

"17 years of us," Emma wrote in her caption, accompanied by a red heart emoji. "Anniversaries used to bring excitement, but now, if I'm honest, they stir up all the feelings, leaving a heaviness in my heart and a pit in my stomach."

She continued, "I give myself 30 minutes to sit in the 'why him, why us,' to feel the anger and grief. Then I shake it off and return to what is. And what is... is unconditional love. I feel blessed to know it, and it's because of him. I'd do it all over again and again in a heartbeat."

In February 2023, Willis's aphasia progressed to frontotemporal dementia, and his family announced that he had stepped away from Hollywood in March 2022 after being diagnosed with aphasia.

In 2007, Willis and Emma first met and later went public with their relationship in January 2008 when she accompanied him to the premiere of his film "What Just Happened?" at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

Emma posted a throwback video on Instagram in December 2022, featuring her and Willis having fun in the snow during a winter vacation.

Emma wrote in a caption, "Fifteen years ago, during that winter, I fell deeply in love with him #loveofmylife."

In a People magazine interview in December 2020, the couple talked about their first encounter.

"I’d do it all over again and again in a heartbeat." — Emma Heming Willis

""Upon our initial encounter, I was taken aback by his captivating charm, humor, and good looks - and that's what immediately struck me about you," the ex-Victoria's Secret model stated."

The Sixth Sense" actor stated that he was already in love with her.

The couple got married twice, first on March 21, 2009 at their home in Turks and Caicos and then six days later in Beverly Hills. They welcomed their daughters Mabel in 2012 and Evelyn in 2014.

Emma gave a sneak peek into Willis' family life on Dec. 22, prior to the holiday season.

Emma shared family photos of Willis with Mabel and Evelyn in a series of Instagram stories.

The black and white photo of Heming and Willis with their daughters was captioned "Them. Always." In the picture, the couple are smiling and lovingly looking into each other's eyes while Mabel and Evelyn sit on their laps.

Willis has two children with Heming and three adult daughters, Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah, with his ex-wife, Demi Moore. The divorce was finalized in 2000, and they have remained close friends and co-parents.

Emma, Moore, and their daughters, along with Willis, have celebrated holidays and vacationed together, and have also presented a united front regarding Willis' struggle with dementia.

In an interview with Town & Country in October, Heming revealed that his early symptoms of dementia were overlooked because he had a stutter as a child.

"As a child, he had a severe stutter," she said. "Bruce has always had a stutter, but he has been good at hiding it. As his language evolved, it seemed like his stutter was just a part of it, it was just Bruce."

The National Institute on Aging states that frontotemporal dementia is caused by the destruction of neurons in the frontal and temporal regions of the brain, resulting in symptoms such as abnormal behavior, emotional issues, communication difficulties, work impairment, and walking problems.

During the 2024 Hamptons International Film Festival, Moore spoke about her ex-husband's health challenges.

"The Substance" actor stated during his acceptance speech for the career achievement in acting award, as reported by People magazine, "I've said this before, and I think it's important to accept the disease for what it is. While he may not be completely stable, he is in a good place."

She also revealed how her family has learned to adapt to his diagnosis in their interactions with him, emphasizing the importance of meeting them where they are, as holding on to the past can be a losing game.