Bruce Willis’s wife Emma Heming opens up about how his aphasia diagnosis affected her mental health

Bruce Willis’s wife Emma Heming has admitted she is struggling after her husband was diagnosed with aphasia.

Aphasia is a form of brain damage that impairs language expression and comprehension. It leaves sufferers unable to communicate effectively and is often the result of a stroke.

In a new interview with The Bump, the 43-year-old model revealed details of how her husband’s diagnosis has affected her mental health.

“I put my family’s needs above my own, which I found does not make me any kind of hero,” Heming told the outlet. “That amount of care for everyone else within my household had taken a toll on my mental health and overall health, and it served no one in my family.”

The model, who has two children with Willis, said she has started making more time for herself.

“Someone told me not long ago that when you over-care for someone, you end up under-caring for yourself,” she said. “That stopped me in my tracks and really resonated with me.

“I don’t mother myself perfectly but I know that I have some basic baseline needs that are a must, like first and foremost, exercise. I think it’s important to find that one thing that makes you feel good and build from there.”

Willis and his family announced he was “stepping away” from acting after being diagnosed with the brain condition in March this year.

In a statement shared on Instagram, the Die Hard star’s family wrote he had been “experiencing some health issues” which were “impacting his cognitive abilities”.

“To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities,” they wrote.

“As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him,” they added.

“This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support. We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him.

“As Bruce always says, ‘Live it up’ and together we plan to do just that.”