Family Counseling Insights brought to you by Patricia McTague-Loft

Bruce Willis has enjoyed a spectacular acting career, starring in the blockbuster Die Hard series and bringing an edginess to performances in films such as Pulp Fiction.

Fame, fortune and success, however, do not protect anyone from disease or illness. Bruce was recently diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), a rare form of dementia with many possible symptoms. Tragically, these symptoms can include unusual behaviors, emotional problems, trouble communicating, difficulty with work or difficulty with walking One especially heartbreaking aspect of the disease is that the person with FTD sometimes is not even aware that they have it.

In response to dealing with Bruce’s illness, his wife Emma has become an advocate for educating people about FTD. As part of that effort, Emma recently appeared on the Today Show. In the interview, she touchingly talks about the process of explaining to their children what is happening to their father, highlighting the fact that all forms of dementia not only affect the person with the disease but also partners and entire families.

Watch the interview with Emma Willis here.