Rumer Willis opened up about how difficult this Father’s Day feels as her father, Bruce Willis, continues to live with frontotemporal dementia. In an emotional message shared on Instagram, the 35-year-old actress reflected on the pain of seeing her dad in a changed state and how much she misses the conversations they once had.
“Today is hard, I feel a deep ache in my chest to talk to you and tell you everything I’m doing and what’s going on in my life,” Rumer wrote, speaking directly to her dad.
“To hug you and ask you about life and your stories and struggles and successes. I wish I asked you more questions while you could still tell me about it all.”
Bruce Willis retired from acting in 2022 following an aphasia diagnosis. A year later, his family confirmed that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, noting at the time, “While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.”
Though the day was filled with heavy emotions, Rumer said she’s trying to hold on to the positive moments she still has with her father.
“But I know you wouldn’t want me to be sad today so I’ll try to just be grateful reminding myself how lucky I am that you’re my dad and that you’re still with me and I can still hold you and hug you and kiss your cheek and rub your head I can tell you stories,” she shared.
“I will be grateful for every moment I have with you.”
She also extended her message to others who might be going through similar experiences.
“Sending love to all those who are in the boat with me or have lost their fathers, to the single moms who are the dads, too.”
Emma Heming Willis, Bruce’s wife since 2009, also spoke out on Instagram, sending strength “to all the dads living with disability or disease, showing up in the ways they can and to the children who show up for them.”
Emma described how much Bruce still means to their family despite the challenges. “What Bruce teaches our girls goes far beyond words,” she wrote.
“Resilience, unconditional love, and the quiet strength in simply being present.”
She also acknowledged how complicated emotions become on symbolic days like Father’s Day.
“But to be fair to myself, these symbolic days stir up a lot. I’m profoundly sad today. I wish, with every cell in my body, that things could be different for him and lighter for our family,” Emma continued.
“As they say in our FTD community, ‘It is what it is.’ And while that might sound dismissive, to me, it’s not. It grounds me. It helps me return to the acceptance of what is and not fight this every step of the way like I used to.”
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