Bruce Willis’ Wife Emma Reacts to Gene Hackman’s ‘Tragic’ Death

Bruce Willis’ wife Emma Heming Willis is reminding people that “caregivers need care too” in light of the tragic circumstances surrounding the deaths of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife last month.
Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home in late February, although officials noted both appeared to have died days before they were found.
On Friday, it was determined that Arakawa died six days before Hackman, who suffered from high blood pressure, severe heart disease, and advanced Alzheimer’s disease. It’s believed that Arakawa was Hackman’s primary caregiver and the actor had wandered around the home for days, not eating, while his wife’s body lay in the bathroom.
“This is not something I would normally comment on, but I do really believe that there is some learning in this story,” Heming Willis said in an Instagram video posted on Monday, calling the deaths “tragic.”
“It’s just made me think of this broader story,” she added. “And that is that caregivers need care too and that they are vital, and that it is so important that we show up for them so that they can continue to show up for their person.”
Heming Willis, who married Willis in 2009, has been open about the struggles of being a primary caregiver since it was revealed that her 69-year-old husband was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) in 2023. It followed the actor’s family announcing that he was retiring from acting after developing aphasia, a condition that affects the ability to speak, write, and understand language.
“I think that there’s this common misconception that like caregivers, they got it figured out,” Heming Willis added. “They got it covered. They’re good. I don’t subscribe to that. I think that we need to be showing up for them so that they can continue to show up for their person.”
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