Bruce Willis’ wife asks paparazzi to leave him alone, seeks advice: How to cope with a tough diagnosis
Bruce Willis’ family announced he has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, the actor’s wife, Emma Heming Willis, is asking paparazzi not to yell at or approach her husband.
“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,” Heming Willis said in an emotional video shared to social media over the weekend. “I know this is your job, but maybe just keep your space.”
She also asked caregivers and dementia care specialists for advice on how to help loved ones navigate the world safely.
It can be extremely difficult when a family member gets a life-changing diagnosis, but there are ways to cope if you find yourself in a similar situation.
Emma Heming Willis begs paparazzi to ‘just keep your space’
Heming Willis explained “there’s still a lot of education that needs to be put forth” about people experiencing dementia.
Recently, Heming Willis noted, Willis, 67, made a rare public appearance in Santa Monica, California, to get coffee with friends when photographers began shouting in an attempt to get the actor’s attention. The model, 44, highlighted how “difficult and stressful it can be to get someone out into the world and to navigate them safely.”
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 … just don’t do it. OK? Give him his 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.”
What is frontotemporal dementia?
Frontotemporal dementia is a brain disorder, but it differs from Alzheimer’s disease. It is less common and known, according to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.
Frontotemporal dementia, or FTD, represents a group of brain disorders cause by the degeneration of the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain, the AFTD says. Those parts of the brain are generally associated with personality, behavior and language, according to the Mayo Clinic.
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And:How to cope with a life-changing diagnosis
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