"This was the summer of self-discovery — finding new hobbies, going out of my comfort zone and staying active," Heming wrote in the caption.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on September 1, 2022. It has since been updated.
Living with grief is not an easy feat, and Emma Heming Willis is learning how.
On August 30th, 2022, the 44-year-old model took to Instagram to share a video montage of her summer after her husband, Bruce Willis was diagnosed with aphasia, which subsequently led him to step away from acting in March 2022.
"This was the summer of self-discovery — finding new hobbies, going out of my comfort zone, and staying active," Heming wrote in the caption to the post, which showed clips of her using a fitness mirror, gardening, playing tennis, and doing some painting and finishing work on a wooden fence and table. Heming set her video montage to Aretha Franklin's 1968 recording of, I Say A Little Prayer.
"My grief can be paralyzing but I'm learning how to live alongside it," Heming continued in the caption. "As my step-daughter @scoutlaruewillis told me, grief is the deepest and purest form of love. I hope you find some comfort in that too 💞."
She ended her post by indicating that her words are in honor of National Grief Awareness Day, which occurs on August 30 every year.
Just like Hemming, Willis too has been keeping himself busy. The Golden Globe winner's wife shared a fun video of Willis and their daughter Mabel Ray, showing off their moves to a viral version of Lizzo's About Damn Time.
When Willis revealed his retirement from acting, Heming described it as "a really challenging time" in an announcement on Instagram.
"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 shared, in a statement on Instagram, per PEOPLE. "As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him," the caption added.
After the announcement was made, a source told PEOPLE that the diagnosis has "been hard for" Heming, as "it's not easy seeing a spouse's health decline." The insider said "Emma has to keep it together" for Evelyn and Mabel, the couple's daughters.
Mentioning that Emma "is working with several professionals to help" her husband, and "has arranged for him to see the best doctors," the source shared, "He has an assistant at home to ensure he is safe, but Emma takes care of him too."
"Because Bruce is older than Emma, they knew that his health might decline sooner than hers. Still, his diagnosis has been shocking for her," the insider added.
Heming also spoke about navigating family life in an interview with The Bump in May 2022. She admitted that it has been difficult to maintain a self-care routine. "I put my family's needs above my own, which I found does not make me any kind of hero. That amount of care for everyone else within my household had taken a toll on my mental health and overall health," she said.
"Someone told me not long ago that when you over-care for someone, you end up under-caring for yourself. That stopped me in my tracks and resonated with me," she added. Acknowledging that she was not taking good care of herself amid all of this upheaval, she mentioned that it is time to fulfill some of her basic needs like exercise.
As Heming remains by her husband helping him navigate through his diagnosis, she does not fail to notice the importance of family in her life. "For us as a family it’s always been about making memories. I’m not even sure we have rituals or traditions. We just love spending time with each other and we know that time is precious, and I don’t take that for granted," she said.
References:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch6KU13u0mq/
https://people.com/health/bruce-willis-has-aphasia-stepping-away-from-acting/
https://www.thebump.com/a/emma-heming-willis-beauty-mom-advice
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Andrew H. Walker
