Emma Heming Willis is steadfast in her resolve not to engage in debates over what constitutes the best care for her husband, Bruce Willis. In a candid conversation with Michael Strahan on Good Morning America on Tuesday, September 9, the author and caregiver advocate passionately defended her family’s choice to relocate the actor to his own residence during his ongoing battle with dementia—a journey she poignantly chronicles in her new book, The Unexpected Journey.
After Strahan remarked that the decision had "sparked quite a debate online," Emma, aged 49, acknowledged that she "had anticipated that." Yet, she emphasized that, despite the decision being "a tough one" for the family, it ultimately proved to be "the safest and most optimal choice—not just for Bruce, but also for our two young daughters."
"And honestly, it's not open for discussion," she continued. "Now, I know Bruce is receiving the best care possible, 24/7. His needs are being fully met at all times, as are those of our two young daughters. So, I won't be taking any votes on this matter."
Emma first revealed that Bruce, now 70, resides in a separate home from the family for his treatment and safety in a recent interview with Diane Sawyer during the couple’s ABC News special, Emma and Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey. Despite facing some critical remarks regarding the decision, Emma shared with Strahan, aged 53, on GMA Tuesday, "I feel like caregivers are constantly judged, and it just highlights how people often form opinions without truly understanding the experience."
"Dementia manifests differently in every household," Emma continued. "If you've encountered one case of dementia, you've encountered just that—one case. So, you have to do what's right for your family and what will ensure the safety of your loved one, as well as your young children."
For Emma, the "wake-up call" to alter her husband's living situation came from a statistic shared by his neurologist: "that sometimes caregivers pass away before their loved ones."
"I think that was my moment of realization that I needed assistance, and that seeking help doesn't make me a failure. It's okay for me to ask for help. I didn't realize that before," she said. "I truly needed someone to tell me that it's alright to seek support."
"That's what I hope my book offers to caregivers: It gives them the permission to care for themselves because if they don't, how will they be able to continue caring for the person they love?" Emma added.
In a recent cover interview with PEOPLE, Emma described the family's decision to move Bruce into his own space as "the hardest thing," explaining that Bruce's progressive frontotemporal dementia (FTD) necessitates "a calm and serene atmosphere."
The one-story house nearby, considered the family's "second home," is better suited to Bruce's specific needs—providing a quiet, comfortable, and safe environment with round-the-clock care—and has allowed their daughters, Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11, to be their lively selves, she said.
Quick to recognize their fortune in having the means to facilitate this new living arrangement, Emma expressed gratitude for what it has meant for the family.
"Everything just feels a lot calmer, more at ease now," she said.
The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path is available now wherever books are sold.
