Bruce Willis' wife shares vulnerable message on his birthday: 'Don't cry, Emma'

Bruce Willis' wife, Emma Heming Willis, marked the actor's 68th birthday by posting a vulnerable video message on social media.

In the Instagram clip, Heming Willis revealed her secret to staying "so strong" after her husband was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia: She's "not given a choice." Willis’ family shared in February that the "Die Hard" star's condition had "progressed" since he was initially diagnosed with aphasia.

"Today is my husband's birthday," Heming Willis said Sunday.

"I have started the morning by crying, as you can see by my swollen eyes and snotty nose. I think it's important that you see all sides of this. ... People always tell me ... 'You're so strong. I don't know how you do it.' I'm not given a choice. I wish I was."

Heming Willis' latest post comes almost exactly a year after Willis' family released a statement confirming his aphasia diagnosis and announcing the Emmy winner's retirement from acting. He is now living with frontotemporal dementia, which can affect a patient's personality, decision-making skills, speech and language comprehension, according to the Assn. of Frontotemporal Degeneration.

"I'm also raising two kids in this, so sometimes in our lives we have to put our big-girl panties on and get to it, and that's what I'm doing," said Heming Willis, who shares young daughters Evelyn and Mabel with her husband.

"But I do have times of sadness every day — grief every day. And I'm really feeling it today on his birthday."

Heming Willis has continued to be open on social media about how her family has been coping with the "Sixth Sense" actor's illness in an effort to raise awareness about the disorder. Earlier this month, she uploaded a video begging the paparazzi to stop yelling at Willis and "give him his space" when he's out in public.

“If you are someone that is looking after someone with dementia, you know how difficult and stressful it can be to get someone out into the world and to navigate them safely,” Heming Willis said at the time. “Even just to get a cup of coffee.”

On Sunday, she admitted that compiling footage for an Instagram Reel in honor of Willis' birthday was a painful experience.

"I don't know why I do that to myself because the videos are like a knife in my heart," she said.

"But as much as I do it for myself, I do it for you. Because I know how much you love my husband, and — don't cry, Emma — it means so much to me. So thank you."

Later in the day, Bruce Willis' ex-wife, Demi Moore, and Heming Willis shared photos and videos of their blended family celebrating the "Pulp Fiction" actor's birthday together. On Instagram, Moore posted a video of the fam singing "Happy Birthday" to Willis and cheering as he blew out the candles on his birthday pie.

"So glad we could celebrate you today," actor Moore captioned the clip. "Love you and love our family. Thank you to everyone for the love and warm wishes — we all feel them."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.