Emma Heming Willis’ ABC Special “Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey” Premieres Today

Los Angeles, Aug. 27, 2025 - Emmy-winning journalist Diane Sawyer’s intimate ABC News special “Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey” debuts today, offering an unprecedented look at actress-activist Emma Heming Willis as she navigates life with husband Bruce Willis amid his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis. The one-hour program, which streams exclusively on Disney+ and Hulu, features candid interviews and emotional reflections on the couple’s daily challenges and triumphs.

In the special, Heming Willis, 47, opens up about her husband’s cognitive decline, revealing that while Bruce remains physically active, his ability to communicate has steadily deteriorated since his 2023 diagnosis. “Bruce is in really great health overall… it’s just his brain that is failing him,” she tells Sawyer, describing the adaptations the family has made to stay connected.

Viewers will witness Heming Willis discuss the “hardest decision” she’s had to make-relocating Bruce to a one-story home with around-the-clock professional caregivers for his safety and well-being. She emphasizes the bittersweet nature of fleeting moments when her husband’s “hearty laugh” and familiar smirk briefly resurface, a reminder of the man she married.

The special also highlights Heming Willis’s advocacy work, including the September 9 release of her caregiving memoir, The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path, aimed at supporting families facing similar battles. “I’m grateful that my husband is still very much here,” she says, underscoring the program’s message of resilience and love in the face of devastating illness.