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“Caregivers need care too,” said Heming, who is her husband’s caretaker amid his battle with frontotemporal dementia.
Bruce Willis’ wife, Emma Heming, is stressing the importance of caregivers following the “tragic” deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.
On Monday, Heming — who is her husband’s caretaker amid his battle with frontotemporal dementia — shared a video on Instagram, in which she expressed her support for caregivers and addressed “common misconception[s]” about them.
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“So this is not something I would normally comment on, but I do really believe that there is some learning in this story in the tragic passing of Mr. and Mrs. Hackman,” Heming, 46, began, referring to Gene and his wife Betsy’s deaths last month.
“It’s just made me think of this broader story, and that is that caregivers need care too and that they are vital, and that it is so important that we show up for them so that they can continue to show up for their person,” Heming continued.
“I think that there’s this common misconception that like caregivers, they got it figured out,” she added. “They got it covered. They’re good. I don’t subscribe to that. I think that we need to be showing up for them so that they can continue to show up for their person.”
In the post’s caption, Heming wrote, “Caregivers need care too. Period. Full stop. #supportcaregivers.”
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Her video came just a few days after the cause of deaths of both Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Hackman (née Arakawa) were revealed.
The couple was found dead in their home just outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico, on February 26.
On Friday, the Santa Fe Medical Examiner announced their findings, saying the late actor died at the age of 95 a week after his wife succumbed to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome — an illness transferred via contact with infected rodents.
Hackman died from hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with advanced Alzheimer’s disease named as a significant factor. He tested negative for hantavirus.
“It is reasonable to conclude that Mr. Hackman died on February 17,” said Dr. Heather Jarrell in a press conference, adding the actor was “in very poor health” at the time of his death.
Jarrell also said there was evidence he hadn’t eaten for a number of days, adding that it appeared Arakawa died on or around February 11, which is the last time anyone had any contact with her.
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“Based on the circumstances, it is reasonable to conclude that Mrs. Hackman passed away first, with Feb. 11 being the last time that she was known to be alive,” added Jarrell.
“I would assume that that is the case, given his Alzheimer’s status, that Mr. Hackman was able to live on his own and survive,” added Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza.
Willis, meanwhile, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and as a byproduct, struggled with aphasia, a brain-mediated inability to speak or to understand speech.
The family first announced that he was retiring from acting in March of 2022 due to a rare form of aphasia. The following February, they revealed his FTD diagnosis.
The entire blended family — including Heming, his ex-wife, Demi Moore, and Moore and Willis’ daughters — has not only remained united in supporting one another but has also kept the public informed about the beloved actor’s condition.
Following her husband’s diagnosis, Heming has continued to spread awareness about frontotemporal dementia and research. She also has a book coming out in September — The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path — which is a “support guide” for caregivers.
Heming and Willis tied the knot in 2009. The couple shares daughters Mabel and Evelyn, while Willis, 12, and Moore, 10, are parents to Rumer, 36, Scout, 33, and Tallulah, 31.
