Bruce Willis’ wife has made an emotional plea to paparazzi to stop yelling at and calling to the Hollywood star who now has dementia, while they are out in Los Angeles.
“So this one is going out to the photographers and the video people that are trying to get those ‘exclusives’ of my husband out and about: just keep your space,” Emma Heming Willis said in an Instagram post. “I know this is your job but maybe just keep your space.”
She continued: “For the video people, please don’t be yelling at my husband asking him how he’s doing or whatever — the woohoo-ing and the yippee ki yays – just don’t do it. OK? Give him the space. Allow for our family or whoever’s with him that day to be able to get him from point A to point B safely.”
It’s a sad follow-up to news last month that the condition of the Die Hard, Pulp Fiction and The Sixth Sense star had worsened from the neurological disease aphasia to frontotemporal dementia.
He retired from acting last year after the first diagnosis and now, judging by the weekend’s post, needs close support from family and friends when he goes out.
The post followed an outing in Santa Monica that was hampered by paparazzi trying to capture a rare public appearance by Willis.
Emmy Heming Willis said she was posting to raise awareness about dementia.
“If you are someone that’s looking after someone with dementia, you know how difficult and stressful it can be to get someone out into the world and just to navigate them safely,” she said. “Even just to get a cup of coffee. I’m just seeing headlines and there’s a video of my husband out getting some coffee with some friends that did a stand-up job protecting him.”
After a break when it became too emotional to speak, she said it was clear there still needed to be a lot of education about dementia.
The post was accompanied by a call to caregivers or dementia care specialist for “any tips or advice on how to get your loved ones out in the world safely”.
Emma Heming Willis shared this photo of her hsuband when she announced he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD).Credit:Instagram
Three weeks ago, the Willis family said challenges with communication were just one symptom of the disease that he faced.
According to the Association of Frontotemporal Degeneration, there is no cure or treatment that can prevent the disease’s onset, with the average life expectancy seven to 13 years after the start of symptoms.
Willis, 67, became one of Hollywood biggest action heroes with Die Hard in 1988 and Die Hard 2 in 1990.
An Instagram post by Emma Heming Willis, Bruce Willis’ wife, who has called on paparazzi to “keep your space” when following the 67-year-old actor, who was recently diagnosed with dementia.Credit:Instagram
He has made more than 100 movies including 12 Monkeys, The Fifth Element, Armageddon, The Sixth Sense, The Whole Nine Yards, Unbreakable, Sin City, Red, Moonrise Kingdom, Looper and three more Die Hard instalments.
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Email Garry Maddox at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter at @gmaddox.
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