Bruce Willis will always be Emma Heming Willis’ ride or die (hard).
The author of Unexpected Journey, who has been sharing her experiences caring for Bruce Willis since his diagnosis with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), recently recalled the beginning of their relationship. She revealed that they officially became a couple on December 30, 2007.
Emma, 47, shared an old photo of Bruce Willis kissing her, recalling when they first became a couple 18 years ago. She wrote that a simple kiss on her head felt like a magical moment, and she feels incredibly fortunate to have experienced that kind of love.
Emma and Bruce, married since 2009, have a lasting love that has adapted and remained strong, even through Bruce’s health challenges, as Emma once described it.
A few days before celebrating their anniversary, she remembered a different moment from their relationship.
She shared details about a trip to Six Flags Magic Mountain with her children, Mabel Ray Willis, 13, and Evelyn Penn Willis, 11. She also talked about going with her father, Bruce, who is 70, and how thankful she was that he bent the rules to bring a camera on the Viper roller coaster.
She shared a video of a ride she took with Bruce in 2008, writing, “That was such a fun ride! I don’t think cameras are allowed, but I’m glad Bruce brought one.”
Oh, his commentary was just… everything. And that laugh! He could make even the most boring things hilarious. That was just him, always bringing the fun. Honestly, I’m completely obsessed with him, and I miss him so much, especially just having him beside me on every journey. It just wasn’t the same without him.
Honestly, it breaks my heart knowing Emma had to say goodbye to the life she built with Bruce – and seeing how it affected his amazing daughters, Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah. But she’s always said the most important thing is that he’s okay, safe, and surrounded by people who truly love him, and that’s what keeps her going. It’s just… it’s everything to see him happy, even if it’s not with her, you know?
Emma described how being with Bruce brings him to life. “He’s holding our hands, we’re kissing and hugging him, and he’s responding – he’s really present and engaged,” she shared in the August ABC special, Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey.
“That’s all I ask,” she said firmly. “He doesn’t need to know we’re married – today’s our anniversary, but that doesn’t matter. I simply want to feel a connection with him, and I do feel it.”
For a closer look inside the tight-knit Willis family unit, keep reading…
Bruce Willis and Demi Moore first met in August 1987 at the premiere of the movie Stakeout. Interestingly, neither of them starred in the film, but Demi was there to support her former fiancé, Emilio Estevez, who did.
Bruce had recently gone through a breakup, and Demi, previously married to Freddy Moore from 1981 to 1985, was open to meeting someone new.
In her 2019 memoir, Inside Out, Demi Moore—known as the Ghost star—revealed they immediately discussed their shared desire to start a family and have children.
They fell in love quickly and, just months after meeting, spontaneously eloped in Las Vegas while attending a boxing match. They got married at the Golden Nugget hotel on November 21, 1987, and followed it up with a larger, more formal wedding a month later, where Little Richard performed the ceremony.
Although their marriage had serious struggles – Demi later wrote about times when Bruce even questioned whether he wanted to be married, like in 1990 – they always appeared to be a perfect Hollywood couple until they announced their separation in 1998.
But they remained a family unit.
In 2000, Bruce told Rolling Stone that he still loved Demi and they remained very close. Despite no longer being a couple, they were committed to co-parenting their three children and felt as connected as ever. He emphasized their ongoing friendship and shared lifelong commitment to their kids.
Demi has said she and Bruce started trying to have a child even before their whirlwind wedding.
It’s possible they succeeded, as their daughter, Rumer Glenn Willis, was born on August 16, 1988, in Paducah, Kentucky. Her father was filming the movie In Country there at the time.
For several years after Rumer was born, her parents often showed home movies of her birth when they had guests over – it was the highlight of their gatherings.
Demi recalled in a 1991 interview with Vanity Fair that Bruce stayed with her throughout all 15 hours of labor, only leaving briefly once to use the restroom.
Rumer Willis remembers being nine years old when her parents separated, and she’s still amazed by how well they continued to co-parent. She told People magazine in October 2024 that they always made sure to share family traditions, so she ‘never had to split family vacations or Christmases or birthdays.’
In a 2015 interview with Larry King, she explained that her parents always prioritized family events and worked hard to keep the family feeling like a single, united group, rather than two separate entities. She believes this effort had a significant positive effect.
Rumer had a daughter, Louetta Isley Thomas Willis, with musician Derek Richard Thomas on April 18, 2022.
The actress from My Divorce Party revealed that she named her baby after a combination of her father’s favorite musicians: Louis Armstrong, Etta James, and the Isley Brothers.
Oh my gosh, she’s just… everything! I read Demi’s interview with TopMob News back in January 2024, and she said it perfectly. It’s exactly what everyone says about grandkids, and she’s totally right! All the joy, all the fun… and the best part? She gets to relax and get a good night’s sleep! It just makes my heart melt knowing how much happiness this little one brings to her grandma. Seriously, it’s pure joy!
Rumer and Derek separated in August 2024, and Rumer publicly thanked her parents for demonstrating a great example of successful co-parenting.
Rumer Willis shared in October 2024 that she and her father, Derek, remain best friends. They’ve successfully created a loving and supportive co-parenting dynamic, and both are very pleased to be able to maintain that relationship, for their own sake and for the benefit of their daughter, Lou.
Scout LaRue Willis was born on July 20, 1991, in Sun Valley, Idaho. Her parents chose to raise her and her siblings outside of Hollywood during their childhood years.
Not that they didn’t do glitz and glam.
Demi Moore made headlines when she appeared nude and pregnant on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine in August 1991. The photo, taken while she was expecting her second daughter, became incredibly famous and has been copied many times since.
“Pregnancy agrees with me,” she told the magazine. “I feel comfortable.”
Although Scout appeared in a few of her parents’ films when she was younger, she was more passionate about photography and music. After graduating from Brown University, she released her first album, also titled ‘Scout,’ in 2022.
She’s a big fan of movies, and even before Demi Moore received a Golden Globe for The Substance, Scout had already praised her mother’s work in the darkly comedic and unsettling film.
Scout shared with Us Weekly in November 2024 that she was deeply impressed by this woman, whom she considers a role model. She admired not only her beauty and talent, but also her authenticity and bravery in being herself. Scout felt it was a gift to witness and believed the woman positively impacted many people through her courage.
Tallulah Belle Willis was born Feb. 3, 1994, in Hailey, Idaho.
Bruce told Rolling Stone in 2000 that people had offered various explanations for his life, including the idea that he was receiving divine retribution. He also recognized that some found it amusing that the tough action star was a devoted father to daughters. “But I’d have three more daughters tomorrow if I could,” he said. “They’re amazing.”
When Tallulah was in third grade, her family—the Willis-Moores—moved from Idaho to Los Angeles. This gave her a more Hollywood-focused childhood than her sisters, but it wasn’t a positive experience.
The founder of the clothing brand Wyllis has openly shared her struggles with addiction, beginning with getting sober at age 20. She also sought treatment for depression at 25 and later dealt with anorexia. In a 2023 essay for Vogue, she explained that while medication for her ADHD was beneficial, it also reduced her appetite, which worsened her preoccupation with her weight.
It was heartbreaking seeing Bruce struggle, and when my idol, Tallulah, had to go back to treatment with the family after Dad started getting sick – they shared the news about his aphasia in March 2022, which just destroyed me – she finally got a diagnosis too. It turned out she’s been battling borderline personality disorder all this time. Honestly, it explained so much, and I just feel for her so much more now.
As someone who’s navigated a lot of personal growth, I’ve realized recovery isn’t a destination, it’s an ongoing journey. What I’ve learned is that it’s about building the skills to truly be present – in your work, with your friends, and especially with family. For me, strengthening my relationship with my dad has been a huge part of that process, and it’s something I’m continually working on.
Oh my gosh, you guys, Tallulah is ENGAGED! To Justin Acee, the most amazing musician ever! It happened on Christmas Eve – so perfect, right? He proposed at her mom’s house in Idaho, which was so smart because her mom totally got it all on video! I’m seriously losing it, this is the best news ever!
After his divorce from Demi Moore, Bruce Willis hadn’t expected to fall in love again. But in 2007, he met Emma Heming, a model born in Malta, at the gym where they both worked with the same trainer.
Bruce Willis admitted he was generally unhappy while being single for a decade. He told W magazine in 2009 that he’d convinced himself he wasn’t lonely, even though he was in a difficult emotional state, and didn’t believe a relationship would fix things. He now realizes he was just fooling himself.
He said his life improved significantly after he began dating Emma, who is 23 years younger than him. He described seeing her regularly as making him much happier.
Bruce Willis and Emma Heming married on March 21, 2009, in a beach ceremony at their home in Turks and Caicos. Demi Moore, who was married to Ashton Kutcher at the time, and their daughters Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah, were also there. Bruce and Demi later divorced in 2011 after six years of marriage.
On December 29, 2024, Emma will celebrate 17 years of marriage. She recently shared that despite the challenges of her husband’s illness, their relationship is powered by unwavering love.
She expressed deep gratitude for the experience, saying it was all thanks to him. She added that she would gladly repeat it countless times.
Following Bruce’s diagnoses of aphasia and, later, dementia, Emma started Make Time Wellness, a company creating supplements for brain and prenatal health. She also began hosting the Make Time Podcast.
In 2023, Emma told TopMob News that speaking up is crucial, explaining that change happens through taking action, raising awareness, and having open conversations.
Emma and Bruce had a daughter, Mabel Ray Willis, on April 1st, 2012, in Los Angeles. The family later moved to Bedford Hills, New York.
In 2017, Emma explained to Elle Decor that a great thing about their home is its proximity to the city, giving them the benefits of both urban and more relaxed living.
Despite living far apart, Scout, Tallulah, and Demi remained close friends with Mabel and were able to celebrate her sixth-grade graduation with her in June 2024.
“We love her!!!” Tallulah commented on Instagram. “7th grade here we go!”
Let me tell you, when Evelyn Penn Willis joined the family on May 5th, 2014, Bruce was absolutely thrilled! He was so happy to be a dad to five beautiful daughters. It was a really special time, and you could just feel the joy!
He shared with People magazine that they hadn’t found out the baby’s sex until after the birth. He also expressed his belief that women should lead, stating, ‘Women are simply more intelligent than men.’
Emma shared with Elle Decor that Bruce was incredibly generous with his time, always making himself available for their daughters and going with whatever plans they had.
You know, I’ve always felt like he’s just been a dad for so long, and he’s so comfortable with the idea that his time isn’t really his anymore. Because of that, he’s incredibly giving with it – always making time for others, it’s just who he is.
Emma described her family as traditional because they prioritize family above all else. They focus on teaching their children good manners, grace, and the value of education. However, they also encourage self-expression in any healthy way. Importantly, they work hard to avoid raising spoiled children, striving for a balance between tradition and allowing individuality.
Emma has been honest with Mabel and Evelyn about their father’s health, but she’s also making an effort to create joyful experiences for them. She’s been sharing videos from their recent trip to Paris and decorating for Christmas at home to make some happy memories.
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2025-12-31 22:48