Bruce Willis' wife Emma unveils poignant cover for her guide to caring for loved ones with dementia

On Thursday, Bruce Willis’ second wife Emma Heming Willis unveiled the cover of her ‘deeply personal’ literary debut, The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope and Yourself on the Caregiving Path.

The 46-year-old Make Time podcaster teamed up with ghost author Michele Levy Bender to pen the 272-page guide about how she and the retired 70-year-old coped after his 2022 diagnosis with the brain disorder aphasia, which evolved into frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in 2023.

‘Born from grief, shaped by love, and guided by purpose, this is the book I needed back when Bruce was first diagnosed and I was frozen with fear and uncertainty,’ Emma wrote to her 993K Instagram followers.

‘This is the book I trust will help the next caregiver. It is filled with support, insight, and the hope needed to navigate this journey.’

Heming continued: ‘I know that no two caregiving journeys are the same, but we are connected by the same unchosen thread. It’s not an easy path for you, your loved one or your family. But I’m here to let you know that you are not alone, and, in time, you will find your footing, and a way forward.’

The Unexpected Journey happens to hit shelves on September 9 – just ahead of World FTD Awareness Week (September 21–28) – and it’s being published through Maria Shriver’s imprint, The Open Field.

‘All they were given was a pamphlet and told to check back in a few months. With no hope or direction, Emma walked out of that doctor’s appointment frozen with fear, confusion and a sense that her world had just fallen apart,’ the book description read.

‘In fact, it had. Bruce and Emma had their story written, their future mapped out. Yet all those dreams crumbled with that diagnosis, and Emma felt alone and more isolated than ever. How would she care for her husband while parenting their young daughters?’

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The Make Time Wellness co-founder’s Instagram post received supportive comments from Tracy Pollan, Jeff Ross, Giambattista Valli, and her stepdaughter Tallulah Willis who wrote: ‘So so SO proud of you.’

Bruce (born Walter) welcomed three adult daughters – Rumer, 36; Scout, 33; and Tallulah, 31 – during his 11-year marriage to Oscar nominee Demi Moore, which ended in 2000.

On May 5, Willis and Emma will celebrate the 11th birthday of their daughter Evelyn, and they’re also proud parents of 13-year-old daughter Mabel.

The two-time Emmy winner and Heming began dating in 2008 and they celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary on March 27.

On March 12, 2026 – the inseparable couple will be honored at the Hope Rising Benefit with the Susan Newhouse & Si Newhouse Award of Hope from The ᴀssociation for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) for bringing awareness to the incurable disease.

Bruce – who’s amᴀssed over $9.4B worldwide for his films – retired after filming his final acting performance as Valmora in Jesse Atlas’ 2023 body-hopping action thriller ᴀssᴀssin in 2021.

Emma wrote: ‘Born from grief, shaped by love, and guided by purpose, this is the book I needed back when Bruce was first diagnosed and I was frozen with fear and uncertainty. This is the book I trust will help the next caregiver. It is filled with support, insight, and the hope needed to navigate this journey’ (pictured Sunday)

Heming continued: ‘It’s not an easy path for you, your loved one or your family. But I’m here to let you know that you are not alone, and, in time, you will find your footing, and a way forward’

Bruce welcomed three adult daughters – Rumer, 36; Scout, 33; and Tallulah, 31 – during his 11-year marriage to Oscar nominee Demi Moore, which ended in 2000 (pictured March 19)

On May 5, Willis and Emma will celebrate the 11th birthday of their daughter Evelyn, and they’re also proud parents of 13-year-old daughter Mabel (posted January 1)