Bruce Willis’ wife Emma Heming Willis has emotionally revealed how she and her Die Hard actor husband have developed their own way of communicating as the star struggles following his diagnosis
Bruce Willis and his wife Emma have developed their own new way of communication
Bruce Willis’ loving wife Emma Heming Willis became overcome with emotion as she discussed the new way the couple now communicate after Bruce’s dementia diagnosis.
Bruce, 70, was diagnosed with aphasia in 2022 and later diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023. The NHS describes frontotemporal dementia as “an uncommon type of dementia that causes problems with behaviour and language”. Like other types of dementia, the condition ‘tends to develop slowly’ and gradually gets worse over time.
Bruce’s wife Emma, 47, has opened up on her life caring for her husband Bruce following his diagnosis and revealed how she and Bruce have crafted their own language as the disease stops those with it from being able to communicate.
READ MORE: Bruce Willis’ wife shares devastating progression of Hollywood star’s conditionREAD MORE: Bruce Willis’ wife Emma Heming Willis blames Die Hard for his dementia symptom
Bruce Willis and wife Emma now have their ‘own language’(Image: Getty Images for Film at Lincoln Center)
Bruce was diagnosed with FTD in 2023(Image: emmahemingwillis/Instagram)
“Bruce and I now have our own language, our own way to be with each other,” she has told The Times. “It’s just about sitting with him, walking with him, listening to him as he tries to verbalise in his own language. Hearing him, validating him. You know,” Emma the stopped before crying gently and adding: “I’m sorry”.
The star’s wife wiped away tears and added: “It’s hard.” Emma called Bruce’s dementia an “unkind disease”. She said: “FTD is just an unkind disease — it constantly takes. Even when you think it can’t take any more, it takes a little more.”
Emma’s book, The Unexpected Journey, about caring for Bruce was recently released, in which she detailed the progression of the disease.
Early on in the book, Emma revealed Bruce isn’t able to communicate with her. She said: “All caregiving journeys can feel lonely and isolating, but the dementia caregiver’s path often feels even more so.
Bruce Willis has five daughters – three with ex Demi Moore and two with wife Emma(Image: Instagram/demimoore)
“The absence of shared decision making or meaningful conversations with your loved one amplifies that sense of isolation. Because Bruce can’t communicate with me (due to the variant forms of FTD he has, primary progressive aphasia) I must make judgement calls for him about absolutely everything.
“I can’t ask him how he’s feeling, what’s wrong, or if something hurts. Instead, I read his body language or look into his eyes to understand what’s bothering him and what he’s experiencing. I compare this to that instinct that you have as a parent.”
Recently, Emma also revealed Bruce had moved into his own home, which she later insisted was in the best interest for her husband and their daughters, Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11. She said: “[It] was the safest and best decision – not just for Bruce, but also for our two young girls,’ she told Michael Strahan. “And, you know, it’s really not up for a debate.”
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However, Emma has admitted to The Times that the move was “one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make”. She added: “But among the sadness and discomfort, it was the right move — for him, for our girls, for me.
“Ultimately I could get back to being his wife. And that’s such a gift.”
Terence Crawford never wanted to be the face of boxing. He said it in fight week.
But after dismantling Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez on Mexican Independence weekend, in front of 70,000 in Las Vegas and a likely record-breaking global audience on Netflix, he has no choice.
It wasn’t just a win. It was a career-defining, legacy-cementing, history-making performance.
Crawford became the first male fighter to be undisputed champion across three weight divisions in the four-belt era.
Before the fight Alvarez had dismissed Crawford’s resume, claiming he had “fought nobody”.
Within an hour of victory Crawford fired back on social media.
From his breakthrough world title against Britain’s Ricky Burns at lightweight in 2014 to cleaning out light-welterweight and welterweight, and now dethroning the sport’s biggest star at super-middleweight after moving up two divisions, Crawford’s CV gleams with rare accomplishment.
Boxing doesn’t always recognise greatness until it’s gone.
But right now we have two unbeaten fighters – Crawford and heavyweight Oleksandr Usyk – who are guaranteed hall of famers. Both are in their late-30s, proving that age is just a number.
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‘It’s not a surprise to me’ – Crawford’s defining night
The kid from Omaha who once needed counselling for his temper and who survived a shooting moved through the ring with a serene, almost unreadable focus.
All week Crawford exuded unrelenting confidence. There was no doubt in his mind.
He was relaxed and smiling throughout fight week, unfazed by the occasion. Even when he wound up the Mexican fans by making his entrance to a mariachi band, there was never a flicker of doubt he wouldn’t back it up.
That same calm assurance carried into the post-fight news conference, where he beamed with satisfaction.
“When I set my sights on doing something and I know what I’m capable of, it’s not like a surprise to me,” Crawford said.
“It’s a surprise to you all because you all didn’t believe me. I knew I could do it. I just needed an opportunity.”
Asked when he knew he had beaten Alvarez, Crawford coolly responded: “When he signed the contract.”
Inevitable comparisons will now be drawn with American great Floyd Mayweather, but Crawford batted them away.
Alvarez – a legend under scrutiny
Alvarez arrived at the news conference marked up but unbowed. “I’m going to continue,” he said, swiftly putting to bed any suggestion he might call it a day.
As a teenager, the flame-haired fighter would ride Guadalajara’s city buses for hours, peddling ice creams just to help his family get by.
His first paydays in the ring were scarcely better – a few dollars here, a handful of ticket sales there.
In Vegas Alvarez was counting a reported purse of $150m (£111m). A man who once sold ice creams now earns fortunes big enough to buy factories.
Yet with superstardom comes scrutiny. Critics point to grey areas in his career: the debatable scorecards against Erislandy Lara and at least one of his trilogy bouts with Gennady Golovkin, fights that many felt should have gone the other way.
Others still refuse to move past his six-month ban in 2018 after failing two drugs tests, something Alvarez says was caused by contaminated meat.
Questions now linger over whether Alvarez is fading. His last outing against William Scull was a rather below-par performance, and his own words hint at the struggle.
“Sometimes you try and your body cannot go – that’s the frustration. I try it and my body does not let me go. You need to accept it,” he said.
Getty Images
A new era for boxing?
Netflix’s global reach – a subscriber base now over 300 million – means Alvarez-Crawford was a super-fight on a scale boxing rarely sees.
Dana White’s presence, promoting Zuffa Boxing, signals UFC-style ambitions for the sport – exclusive contracts, centralised control and potentially fewer revenue streams for fighters.
Perhaps resistance from the sport will be too much and White’s venture will be short-lived.
Or maybe the industry is shifting into a new era and it could accelerate super-fights and bring fresh audiences.
If so, it raises questions about who truly benefits in boxing’s new landscape.
But for now one truth is undeniable: Crawford sits firmly at the summit.
He turns 38 in less than two weeks, which means he won’t be around forever and nights like this will define how he’s remembered.
China’s military has warned the Philippines against any provocations in the tense South China Sea as it continues to launch patrols and advance plans to solidify its control of the area.
A spokesperson for the Chinese military’s Southern Theater Command issued a statement directed at the Philippines that referenced joint drills with the United States and Japan in the major waterway carrying more than $3 trillion of annual commerce.
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“We sternly warn the Philippine side to immediately stop provoking incidents and escalating tensions in the South China Sea, as well as bringing in external forces for backing such efforts that are destined to be futile,” the spokesperson said.
“Any attempt to stir up trouble or disrupt the situation will not succeed.”
Philippine maritime and military authorities have not commented immediately.
The warning comes after the US Asia Pacific Command said in a statement that Japan, the Philippines and the US conducted joint maritime exercises in the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone from Thursday to Saturday to strengthen regional cooperation and support a free and open Asia Pacific region.
“The US, along with our allies and partners, upholds the right to freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace, as well as respect to the maritime rights under international law,” it said.
This comes days after China’s State Council on Wednesday revealed its intention to establish a nature reserve spanning 3,500 hectares (8,650 acres) on the disputed islet of Scarborough Shoal, a contested territory claimed by both China and the Philippines in the South China Sea.
The Philippines strongly protested the move, and was backed by a statement of condemnation issued by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday.
Paralympian and BBC commentator Stef Reid has opened up on a pivotal moment after a horrific accident left her needing amputation. She said one nurse’s words changed her life
The star is commentating at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo(Image: Contract Number (Programme))
A conviction that tomorrow could always be better has propelled Stef Reid to dizzy heights, despite losing her right foot in a terrifying accident when she was just 15.
A straight-talking nurse was her saviour when, rather than sympathising, she told the teenager that it was “time to move on.”
An accomplished paralympian, she is commentating for the BBC alongside retired track and field star Steve Backley at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, from 13-21 September. And the challenges won’t stop there.
Already a TV favourite – she has taken part in Dancing on Ice and Celebrity MasterChef – and would jump at the chance to compete in Strictly or I’m a Celebrity.
Stef nearly lost all hope after her accident(Image: (Credit too long, see caption))
And she credits the nurse Claudette’s straight talking 25 years ago for her success. Recalling that day in hospital, she says: “I’d just had a life-changing injury and people accepted my outbursts, but she did not.
“I wasn’t eating, I wasn’t seeing visitors, I just didn’t care. She brought breakfast and I said ‘I’m not going to eat today, just take it away.’ She stared directly at me and said ‘Stephanie, it is time to move on. Others have and you will too.’
“That was quite shocking to me. She was the first person who expected something better from me and the first person who challenged me.
Stef’s first face back post amputation at the Paralympics in Ontario, 2002(Image: Supplied)
“I remember thinking ‘who does this nurse think she is? I am sad and my life has just been transformed – how dare she?’ But maybe I’d just been waiting for somebody to give me a challenge and an element of hope.”
And while she had to learn to walk again and deal with “phantom leg pain” she says: “I was lucky. I always had just enough hope that maybe tomorrow would be better.”
Stef’s life changed in an instant when she was involved in a catastrophic boating accident which led to her amputation.
Forced to quit her dream of playing professional rugby, instead Stef threw herself into athletics, going on to win medals at the Paralympics – becoming a world champion long jumper.
Stef has appeared on MasterChef and Dancing on Ice(Image: BBC/Shine TV Ltd)
Speaking of the accident, during a fun-packed weekend away when she was staying at pal’s family holiday cottage, she says: “We went tubing; it was my first time and it was super fun – you go flying across the water.
“I fell off and I was waiting in the water for the boat to circle back and pick me up, as I had done several times before, but there was a miscommunication and this time the driver had no idea I was in the water.
“I saw him coming towards me too fast. I knew I didn’t have time to move, so I planned to dive down so the boat would pass over the top of me.
“But I couldn’t get under the water, because I had a life jacket on and my lower back and right leg were caught in the propeller.
“The back injury was the most serious – it was a very big, open, messy wound – but fortunately, I had no spinal damage or internal injuries. However, there wasn’t a lot they could do to save my right foot. It was damaged beyond repair and had to be amputated.”
The sports star suffered horrific injuries in the accident(Image: Supplied)
Thanks to Claudette’s sage advice triggering a sea change in her attitudes, she was soon inspired by the opportunities ahead of her, rather than dwelling on the past.
“I thought I was going to die and the accident clarified what’s important in life. That was an incredible gift and I really appreciate it,” she says.
“I could have lost every limb on my body and I still would have been me. I would still have been this person that wants to work hard and train and challenge myself and compete.
“Life throws all sorts of things at you, but we can adapt, we can rise to the challenge. That’s why I would do Strictly or I’m A Celebrity.
“Success is never guaranteed, but any time you’re given an opportunity in life you should say yes. Because not everybody gets them and they don’t always come back.”
Steff is set to head to New Delhi to commentate on field and track at the Para Athletics World Championships(Image: PA)
In the coming week in Tokyo, all eyes will be on heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson – seeking to defend her title – and 800m runner Keely Hodgkinson, who is hoping to go from silver to gold this year.
Then, three days after the event ends, Steff heads to New Delhi to commentate on field and track at the Para Athletics World Championships.
With her positivity and enthusiasm shining through everything she does, she is a million miles away from the despair she felt when she first lost her foot.
“Life looked awful and I thought ‘what is the point in even surviving this if this is what it’s going to be like?'” She admits. “I thought what had happened was worse than death.”
Her talents wowed viewers on Dancing on Ice(Image: Matt Frost/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
One great help in staying positive has been the Christian faith she found after her accident – having prayed for the first time in the back of the ambulance rushing her to hospital.
She recalls: “I was very aware that I might not survive and that was terrifying. There was nothing I could do and that was the first time that I prayed.
“I said ‘God, please save my life. I’m out of options and I promise I’ll do better and be less selfish.’
“I have no doubt that God answered that prayer. If my body had been in just a slightly different position I would have been cut clean in half. Or maybe the propellers would have hit my head or an artery and I would have bled out instantly.”
A multiple medal winner at European and World level, Stef won a bronze medal in the 200m at the 2008 Paralympics and silver in the long jump at the 2012 Paralympics.
She retired as an athlete in 2022 and has ben on our screens in a host of shows since(Image: Supplied)
In 2013 she appeared in Vogue magazine after modelling for Debenhams when they became the first high street chain to use disabled models in one of their campaigns.
She retired as an athlete in 2022 and has been seen on our screens in a host of shows including Pilgrimage earlier this year.
Away from work, she has recently become an ambassador for Tearfund, a Christian charity that partners with churches in more than 50 of the world’s poorest countries.
“What appealed was the way they work,” she explains. “Tearfund go in and work with churches and local communities. That’s key, because they’ve been there long before Tearfund arrived and they’ll be there long after Tearfund has left.
“It’s about bringing resources and opportunities to people that the world has forgotten and helping them achieve their dreams.”
Stef won a bronze medal in the 200m at the 2008 Paralympics and silver in the long jump at the 2012 Paralympics(Image: Getty Images for Aviva)
The charity’s work has also helped put her own situation into perspective. “I am probably one of the luckiest people on the planet,” she reflects. “What I went through was incredibly hard, yet I know how fortunate I am in terms of the support that I’ve had.
“My life would look radically different if I did not have access to prosthetic legs. At night, if I wake up and have to pee, I crawl to the bathroom because it’s quicker than putting on my leg. But if I was born in one of the world’s poorest countries, I would be crawling all the time.”
Stef, who lives in Loughborough with her husband-of-16 years, Canadian wheelchair cyclist Brent Lakatos, who was paralysed as a child after a freak ice skating accident, says she turned him down when he first asked her out.
Fighting and overcoming any personal negativity is what also makes Stef an excellent motivational speaker(Image: Supplied)
She confesses: “I just wasn’t interested in dating, but also – and this is going to sound terrible, but it’s honest – he was in a wheelchair. There was an element of me that thought – ‘I don’t want to end up a carer in this relationship.’
“I was a person with a disability who didn’t like people making judgements about my disability and yet I completely judged him.”
But fighting and overcoming any personal negativity is what also makes Stef an excellent motivational speaker.
She says: “Now when I speak to people about disability, I know what I thought before I became a disabled person and I know what I think now. It’s helpful that I’ve lived on both sides with two different identities.”
EXCLUSIVE: Despite rumours of a return to Love Island All Stars after dazzling viewers with her personality last year, Ekin-Su has finally shut down a comeback
Ekin-Su reveals sad truth behind her decision not to return to Love Island All Stars(Image: ITV)
Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu has finally addressed speculation over a potential return to Love Island, insisting she’s done with reality TV romances and is now focused on finding her “dream man.”
The 31-year-old star, who won the 2022 series alongside Davide Sanclimenti, spoke to The Mirror on the red carpet at the National Television Awards, where she was clear about her priorities as she looks to the future.
“It’s time I moved away from that and found a real man now. It’s time I got married,” Ekin-Su said, shutting down rumours that she might appear on Love Island All Stars again.
Sharing her excitement for the new series of the iconic ITV2 show, Ekin-Su said: “I’m very excited. I’ve heard some rumours of some names. But I’m not going to be on there. I mean I love the show and I’m glad I did it but it’s time I move on.”
READ MORE: Ekin-Su details single life after Curtis Pritchard split with savage four-word statementREAD MORE: Maura Higgins shuts down rumours she was turned away from NTAs afterparty
Ekin-Su has insisted that she won’t be returning to Love Island(Image: Getty Images for the NTA’s)
The Turkish-British model recently split from professional dancer Curtis Pritchard, 29, after a whirlwind romance on the January series of Love Island All Stars.
The pair called it quits in May, despite falling head over heels in love on the show. Speaking to The Mirror, Ekin-Su admitted she still has a lot of love for Curtis, but emphasised that she is now focused on her own future and finding a lasting and real love.
“We are [friends]. We are. We still speak all the time, and I’ve got nothing but lovely words to say about him,” she added, revealing that their bond remains strong despite the breakup.
Ekin-Su’s dating history is no stranger to headlines. Before Curtis, she was romantically linked to her original 2022 Love Island partner, Davide Sanclimenti, although their relationship ended amid allegations of cheating.
Ekin-Su opened up about her Love Island past romances (Image: Getty Images for the NTA’s)
Curtis and Ekin-su Culculoglu broke up in May after three months of romance(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
The much-loved reality TV star has repeatedly made it clear that while she cherishes her past experiences, she is ready to move on from the connections she found on Love Island.
Away from her love life, Ekin-Su has been keeping busy with multiple projects – and things are about to get very exciting for the star.
She will star in the new Netflix reality series Inside: USA, premiering on September 21, living alongside American stars including Selling Sunset’s Breana “Bre” Tiesi. The show, created by the UK YouTube collective Sidemen, follows housemates navigating challenges and life under one roof.
Ekin insists she has no interest in making another comeback to Love Island
In addition, Ekin-Su teased another upcoming project, saying: “I’ve been busy working my as off. I just came back from Venice, now I’m flying to America.
“I’m burnt out, but life is about working hard. You’ve got to grab it with both hands. Something’s coming up in a few months. It’s not a reality show, it’s a different project.”
While she continues to explore career opportunities abroad, Ekin-Su’s message is clear – she’s done with villa romances and ready for a serious relationship. Her focus now is on finding a committed partner and building a life beyond the reality TV spotlight.
As the iPhone 17’s pre-orders open, shoppers seeking a new Apple gadget to go with their new phone won’t want to snooze on this deal that could score them a new Apple Watch Ultra 2 worth £800 for £20
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Lesser-known deal gives shoppers chance to claim £800 Apple Watch for £19.99(Image: Getty)
Since Apple opened the window for the new iPhone 17’s pre-orders, Apple products have been on everyone’s minds. And right now, thanks to this lesser-known offer, shoppers could claim an Apple Watch Ultra 2, which was first released in 2023, for the whoppingly low price of £19.99.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2, which would normally cost shoppers a steep £799 at retailers like Very, Amazon, and Currys, is currently included in a covetable bundle at Wowcher. Shoppers can win this smart watch, or one of various other gadgets, for the much more budget-friendly price of £19.99.
READ MORE: Retailer slashes price of iPhone 16 ahead of newest model pre-orders opening
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This Apple Watch Ultra 2 Cellular normally sells for £799(Image: Very)
For many Apple fans, sometimes finding a good deal on the most up-to-date devices and phones can be hard – well, look no longer because Wowcher is offering this Mystery Tech Deal for £19.99, with available gadgets ranging from the Apple Watch Ultra 2 to a 50″ QLED Smart TV.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is one of the most up-to-date Apple gadgets available. It boasts an impressive two-day battery life and a rugged look with sapphire glass, so it can take all the beatings shoppers throw at it. It also comes with loads of other features, like a more accurate GPS and diving capabilities.
The 49mm watch features a super-bright Always-On Retina display, ideal for runners and cyclists who need to keep an eye on their stats mid-workout. But you’ll need to be quick – there’s no telling how long this deal will be available for.
The offer has two tiers, the first of which costs £9.99 and includes products like a Riley RSX Electric Scooter worth £299.95 or an RCA 50” QLED Smart TV worth £319.95.
Meanwhile, tier two includes the covetable Apple Watch Ultra 2 Cellular and an Asus VivoBook 16” Laptop worth £348.95, for the budget-friendly price of £19.99.
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If you’d rather skip out on the deal and would prefer to shop for your new Apple Watch Ultra 2 Cellular elsewhere, you can find it for £659 at Very or £649 from Amazon or Currys.
