Bruce Willis’ family to donate his brain for FTD research, Emma Heming Willis says holidays with him are 'joyous'

Bruce Willis’ family to donate his brain for FTD research, Emma Heming Willis says holidays with him are 'joyous'

Emma Heming Willis has offered a clear look at how the Willis family is reshaping their holiday traditions while caring for Bruce Willis, whose health has been affected by frontotemporal dementia. Her focus is simple: keep Bruce present in the family’s life, even as the way they celebrate shifts.

Bruce’s diagnosis became public in 2023 after a year of uncertainty that began with his aphasia announcement. Since then, the family has been navigating the unpredictable nature of FTD, a condition that affects behaviour and communication and eventually requires full-time care. Emma has spoken honestly about that journey, especially for their daughters, 13-year-old Mabel and 11-year-old Evelyn.

In a new conversation with People, she said their Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions still carry Bruce’s spirit, even if the celebrations no longer look the same. Here’s the thing: the heart of the ritual hasn’t changed. The way they execute it has.

“It’s joyous. It’s just different,” she said. Bruce loved the holidays, and she insists that the family continues to celebrate them with him in mind. “You have to learn and adapt and make new memories, bring in the same traditions that you had before. Life goes on. It just goes on.”

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Emma stressed that dementia is difficult, but it doesn’t erase moments of warmth. “There is still joy. We are still laughing. It just looks different,” she said, pushing back against the idea that dementia stories must always be bleak.

Her comments also followed a recent wave of scrutiny about how the family is managing Bruce’s care. She addressed the criticism at an event alongside actor Yvette Nicole Brown, who is caring for her own father. Both women spoke about the emotional labour and the quiet resilience that comes with long-term caregiving.

Another deeply significant detail has emerged from the family’s planning. After Bruce’s death, his brain will be donated for scientific study so researchers can better understand the effects of FTD. For a condition with no cure and limited treatment options, such donations are crucial. It becomes a final act of service from an actor loved for his toughness onscreen and his gentleness off it.

The Willis family continues to face the realities of FTD, but Emma’s message is steady: love adapts, and so do the rituals that hold a family together.