Bruce & Demi's UNBREAKABLE BOND

As Bruce Willis' condition continues to deteriorate, Demi Moore is right by his side, giving him the strength to go on

In February, Bruce Willis’ family revealed a devastating new diagnosis: A year after the Die Hard star retired from acting after learning he had aphasia — a neurological issue that robs a person of the ability to communicate — doctors confirmed that his condition had progressed to a form of dementia. The news left his wife of 14 years, former model Emma Heming, in “need of community,” she recently told the head of the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration during a public conversation on the challenges dementia patients and their caregivers face. “Sometimes it feels like you’re just free-falling. This journey can feel very dark.”

But Emma and Bruce have found a source of light as they struggle to navigate the unknown. Demi Moore, Bruce’s ex-wife with whom he shares three adult daughters, has been a constant presence as his condition progresses. “Emma is grateful to have Demi around,” a source close to the family tells In Touch. “It’s been incredibly difficult for Emma to manage Bruce’s care, their two young daughters, and the grief she’s experiencing. So Demi isn’t stepping on her toes. Demi is actually a lifesaver.” Since learning that Bruce has frontotemporal dementia — for which there is no cure or treatment — his family, including Demi, have started preparing themselves to say goodbye. “Demi has stepped in,” says the source, “to make sure every holiday, birthday and get-together is as celebratory as possible.”

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