Image: Shutterstock
Caregiving isn’t something most of us prepare for, but when it arrives, it changes everything. On Coming in Hot with Caroline Baudino, host Caroline Baudino welcomed Emma Willis—model, entrepreneur, and wife of actor Bruce Willis—alongside brand developer Helen Christoni for a candid conversation about women’s health, brain wellness, and the quiet but heavy responsibilities of caregiving.
Caregiving is often painted as noble—and it is—but it’s also messy, exhausting, and lonely. Emma Willis didn’t shy away from acknowledging both the privilege and the pain of supporting a loved one through illness. And in doing so, she reminded listeners that caregivers need care too.
The early signs of something deeper
FTD, or frontal temporal dysphasia, is not the same as Alzheimer’s, though both fall under the larger umbrella of dementia. Heming Willis explains that, for Bruce, the early signs appeared in his speech. “He had a severe stutter when he was a child. And I started noticing that come back,” she says.
Those changes eventually led to a diagnosis of Primary Progressive Aphasia, a form of FTD that affects language. “What was happening was that a part of his brain was, in essence, being dismantled,” she shares. It wasn’t loud or evident at first. As she put it, “FTD doesn’t scream, it whispers.”
The shock of no roadmap
For many families, a diagnosis comes with a plan. For the Willis family, it came with silence. Heming Willis recalls, “When Bruce was diagnosed, we left that doctor’s appointment with nothing, no hope, no guidance, no roadmap, just to check back in in a couple of months.”
That lack of direction left her navigating unfamiliar terrain on her own—researching, advocating, and piecing together next steps. It was a stark reminder that caregivers are often thrust into roles without proper resources, even while they’re expected to stay strong.
Advocating when something feels off
Caregiving also means trusting your instincts when something isn’t right. “There just comes a point where you know your gut, you know your person, you know something’s right,” Hemming Willis explains. “And sometimes if your person isn’t raising their hand that something is wrong, you need to figure out how to get them to the doctor.”
She admits that in the past she didn’t know whether it was appropriate to step in, but eventually realized, “It was important, and I’m so happy that I did, because it’s important to get to the bottom of things as quickly as we can so that we can get the right support into place.”
It was a reminder to every listener that speaking up—even when uncomfortable—is an act of love.
Why early detection matters
FTD often gets mistaken for depression, bipolar disorder, or even a “midlife crisis.” Heming Willis highlights the danger of misdiagnosis: “People are getting misdiagnosed so late, or they’re getting misdiagnosed. And, obviously, that is a big issue because that is not what it is. They’re not getting the help they need.”
Early detection doesn’t cure, but it can provide access to clinical trials, support networks, and resources that too many families miss out on simply because they don’t know where to look.
Holding the weight of caregiving
“It is a privilege to be able to support someone you love,” Hemming Willis acknowledges, but she also notes that the emotional toll of caregiving can be rough. “Some days are so brutal, and it’s just so hard. And you don’t want to get up, and you don’t want to get dressed, and you don’t want to keep going,” she says.
Those words cut through the polished social media images of wellness and productivity. They remind us that showing up doesn’t always look glamorous. Sometimes, it just looks like getting out of bed and doing it all again.
Emma Willis says caregivers need care too
The heart of the episode wasn’t just Bruce’s diagnosis—it was the recognition that caregivers themselves need support. Heming Willis emphasizes that talking about it is key. “Knowing you’re not alone and that there is help out there and there is prevention,” she notes.
That honesty is a lifeline for listeners who are caring for aging parents, children with medical needs, or partners facing illness. It validates the frustration, the exhaustion, and the loneliness, while also reminding us that community and shared stories can lighten the load. And by speaking openly, she permitted others to seek it.
Read Next
