Throwback Pics Of Bruce Willis & His Wife Before His Dementia Diagnosis Are A Gut Punch

Theo Wargo/Getty Images

Bruce Willis and his wife, Emma Heming Willis, were once one of Hollywood's most openly affectionate couples. "We're sickening," Bruce admitted during a 2009 interview with W Magazine. "We make out in public. I know there's some rule that you're not supposed to be doing — what is it? Public displays of affection?" However, their love story has evolved since Bruce was diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, the cognitive disorders that spearheaded his surprising retirement from the acting world in 2022. "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," posted Emma to Instagram in March of that year.

While their love is still intact, Bruce's diagnosis has forced their dynamic to shift over the years. Emma now acts as Bruce's primary caretaker and most stringent defender — especially against misinformation about people living with a cognitive disorder. "I'm just scrolling, minding my own business, and I just saw a headline and got click-baited that had to do with my own family," said Emma in an Instagram video. "The headline basically says there is no more joy in my husband," she continued, before correcting the narrative by saying that, yes, Bruce does still experience joy (just like other dementia patients). 

Here are a few throwback photos that give a bittersweet glimpse into the way their relationship was before Bruce's health took an unexpected turn.

2023 marked a tragic turning point in Bruce Willis and Emma Heming Willis' romance, but she made sure to close out the year by marking their 16th anniversary. She posted a gorgeous Instagram shot of herself snuggling Bruce outside amid a sea of greenery. Since she didn't list a date, it's impossible to know exactly when the photo was taken, but their romantic outing seems to have been before Bruce's health declined. The second slide of the carousel shows Emma smiling as he whispers something into her ear. Emma captioned the post, "16 years with this special man. My love and adoration for him only grows."

Given the extreme lengths Emma has gone to preserve Bruce's privacy as he navigates his disease, it's clear her words ring true — even when she gets backlash. For example, a social media user accused her of attention-seeking after she scolded paparazzi about taking his photos. "I just saw something about me getting my five minutes, which is great," she shared on Instagram in March 2023. "Which means that you're listening. So I'm going to take my five minutes, and I'm going to turn it into 10 because I'm always going to advocate for my husband." Continuing, Emma vowed to channel her grief and sadness into something positive. "So, watch this space because I didn't come to play," she added.

On October 16, 2024, Emma Heming Willis took to Instagram to share a touching photo that really highlighted the beauty of her bond with Bruce Willis. She posted a rather chic throwback of her and Bruce snuggled up in the back of what appears to be a limo or some other kind of luxury car. Dressed in formal wear, and coming or going to/from any number of events, Bruce looked stoically at the camera as Emma, again, looked positively smitten to be in her husband's presence. Only thing, this photo wasn't taken by the most recent iPhone available at the time, as Emma's caption implies the shot pre-dated its invention. "Doing selfies before they had a name," Emma captioned the adorable snapshot.

This is far from the only time Emma has given fans a glimpse into her bond with Bruce. For example, the mother-of-two captioned a throwback post from December 2022, "It was that winter, 15 years ago I fell head of over heels in love with him #loveofmylife." The accompanying video was just as sentimental, comprised of clips of her and Bruce enjoying a vacation in what appears to be a real-life winter wonderland. The video started with the actor taking a photo of Emma — with a camera, not a phone — before jumping to them sledding down a steep hill together. As if that wasn't cute enough, the video then transitioned to them riding a snow bike together as a they shared a sweet laugh.

Even though life looks a little different for Bruce Willis and Emma Heming Willis these days, she's made sure to carve out time to celebrate all the major holidays. For Valentine's Day in 2024, Emma posted yet another adorable shot of her and Bruce canoodling in front of a scenic background. Embracing their obvious appreciation for winter, they wore thick coats and stood on a bridge in front of what appears to be a frozen lake surrounded by lush snowfall. Of course, the best part of the photo is the look of absolute contentment on both their faces as they engage in a little bit of light PDA. "Love is a beautiful thing. Wishing you all a Happy Valentine's Day," she wrote in the photo's Instagram caption.

Two days later, Emma commemorated another important holiday that has become near and dear to her heart: National Caregiver's Day. In an Instagram video, Emma urged other people who've taken on the responsibility of taking care of their loved ones or spouses to take a little time out of their schedule to pat themselves on the back. "I hope that you give yourself enough credit and some grace in all of this," she said, adding, "I just want to acknowledge you and what you're doing for your loved one." In the post's caption, she wrote, "Please take a moment to feel proud of all you have learned, all that you do and how you are showing up for your loved one. Happy National Caregivers Day to you."

In March 2023, Emma Heming Willis pulled another adorable photo of her and Bruce Willis out of her archives to commemorate their 15th wedding anniversary. A little grainy, but still brimming with affection, this particular photo showed the pair posing, once again, with their faces super close together. Emma looked squarely into the camera as Bruce placed a gentle kiss on the side of her face. Like most of the other photos on this list, Emma didn't bother to date it, but given the lower quality, it was likely taken several years ago — before Bruce reportedly started displaying symptoms aligned with aphasia, a language disorder that sometimes (but doesn't always) precede frontotemporal dementia.

However, the caption is even sweeter. "Today marks our 15th wedding anniversary!" she wrote at the time. "And today, I can make a choice. I can wallow in sorrow or I can celebrate it." She continued, "I call this the 'remarkable reframe.' What I know is there is so much to celebrate. Our union and connection is probably stronger than ever." Emma then listed off all of the wonderful things they had to be thankful for amid Bruce's diagnosis. "We have two bright, fun and healthy daughters. We have a family unit that is built on mutual respect and admiration." Above, all, she loves Bruce. "I'm so proud of what we have and continue to create. So, happy crystal anniversary to us!" Happy Anniversary, indeed!

Although Emma Heming Willis isn't actually in this last photo, we had to include it in the roundup. Bruce Willis' birthday is on March 19, and his adoring wife used the occasion to share a super sweet photo of Bruce holding a baby to his chest. The baby looked just as content as she smiled and focused her eyes on something out of range. Emma captioned the shot, "Just like you, we simply adore him. What you might not know, but maybe you could imagine, that being wrapped in his arms is the safest place in this whole wide world." She continued, "He's a true gentle-man. With so much love to give and share. That's what I get to see, his true core. I can tell you, it's so pure and ever so good." She concluded the post by wishing Bruce a happy birthday and calling him "the gift that keeps giving."

While Emma didn't specify which child Bruce was holding in the photo, she's not the only one of his family members who have claimed that he is good with kids! During an appearance on "Today," one of Bruce's older daughters, Rumer Willis, revealed that he had totally fallen head over heels for her own daughter. "Lou is just starting to walk a little bit, and she was walking over to him, and it was so sweet," she said (via TV Insider). "He's a girl dad, through and through. I saw him with my sisters, my little sisters. So you're seeing that all come back again." She continued, "Being a grandparent, I think, is the best they have. All of the love and joy without any of the responsibilities."