Bruce Willis' 'Big Gang of Women' Stands by Him amid His Aphasia Diagnosis — His Blended Family

Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with an illness and stepped back from his career. Thankfully, he had his family to stand by and encourage him. Inside his blended family.

Bruce Willis was primarily known as an American actor. In his career, which started in the 1970s and spanned several decades, the Hollywood icon featured in numerous movies and TV shows.

Some of them included "Die Hard," "Pulp Fiction," "Friends," "That '70s Show," and many others. Besides enjoying a stellar career, Bruce also had a successful blended family.

He was a doting father to five daughters — Rumer, Tallulah, Scout, Mabel Ray, and Evelyn Penn — whom he shares with his ex-wife Demi Moore and current wife, Emma Heming Willis. When Moore initially came across Bruce, she didn't quite get him.

Demi Was Amazed by Bruce's Treatment of Her When They First Met

Bruce and Moore first encountered each other at the premiere of the 1987 film "Stakeout." The latter detailed her first impression of the actor in her 2019 memoir "Inside Out," describing him as cocky, tall, and handsome.

On the other hand, Bruce had his eyes fixated on the actress throughout the night. His job as the bartender for the night did not prevent him from focusing all of his attention on Moore, leaving the actress intrigued, with her saying:

"He was so attentive as the evening progressed, I was stunned to find out later that he'd actually been on a date that night with another woman."

Before the night was over, Bruce asked the actress on a date, an outing she opened up about in her memoir. The star said she'd never come across treatment where the man was boisterous, gallant, and a real gentleman.

After the date was over, Bruce asked the actress for her number and wrote it down on his arm. Moore said it was a sight she would see a million times over the years as he was always writing things on his arm.

However, the first time she saw him doing it, she noticed his arms were shaking. At that moment, the actress realized he was vulnerable, and all his bravado had gone.

Moore felt good about the attention she'd received from Bruce and thought the actor saw her as some angelic savior. She noted how he'd insisted that everything about her was beautiful, wrapping her anxieties and fears in his love.

Not long after, the pair became romantically involved. The duo appeared perfect as they bonded over similar circumstances, like their difficult childhoods, with Moore noting how when they hooked up, their traumas met.

The former lovebirds dated for a short period before tying the knot on November 21, 1987, at the Golden Nugget Casino in Las Vegas. On their wedding night, Moore fell pregnant, and the following months were like a fairy tale experience for the actress.

Sadly, the good times did not last forever. After their first child, Rumer, was born, Moore wanted to return to work, but her husband wanted her to be a stay-at-home mother, and it caused issues between the couple that lasted for years.

Things got worse, especially after the actress became famous thanks to her role in "Ghost." Bruce was not comfortable with the attention his wife got, and he told her he did not want to be married anymore.

However, after their second child, Scout, was born, they tried to work things out. Eventually, Moore's third pregnancy with Tallulah cemented the relationship, but the union was destined to crumble.

The couple called it quits in 1998 and finalized their divorce in 2000. They continued to co-parent their children amicably and remained friends, with Bruce stating in the past that he loved Moore and that they were close.

The star shared how they had children they'd continue raising together and that they were closer than before. Bruce said they'd realized their lifelong commitment was to their children and added:

"Our friendship continues. The institution has been set aside."

Although things failed to work out between the two celebrities, that didn't mean love wouldn't find them again. Bruce met someone else whom he fell in love with and ended up marrying.

Bruce Was Already in Love with His Wife, Emma, When They Met

Bruce met his future second wife, Emma, for the first time in 2007 through a mutual friend, and it was love at first sight. The couple had a joint interview with People, where they spoke candidly about the encounter.

Emma shared how surprised she was at how funny, handsome, and charming Bruce was during the first meeting. The actor revealed how he'd already been in love and interested in her before they met!

Despite their 23-year age difference, the couple walked down the aisle in 2009 at a Civil ceremony in Beverly Hills. Several celebrities were in attendance, including Moore and her then-husband, Ashton Kutcher.

In 2012, the pair welcomed their first child and daughter, Mabel. Two years later, their second baby girl, Evelyn, arrived, and Bruce and Emma remained head over heels in love with each other, and their marriage appeared intact.

Speaking of the union and what made their relationship work, Emma said their respect for one another helped them build a good foundation. She noted how her husband was funny, made her laugh, was nuts, funny, kept her on her toes, and it was fun.

Although he had a new family with his wife and two children, that didn't mean Bruce was done with his other family. The star found a way to bring the two most remarkably!

Inside Bruce's Blended Family

Bruce had proven to be a fantastic family man as he shared a great relationship with all his daughters and did not mind being surrounded by "a big bang of women." He once revealed that he couldn't have imagined having five boys or just one!

Despite having a busy schedule, he loved spending quality time with the girls. The actor revealed that his job these days was playing with his children and eating food, noting how he tended to forget he had work.

Many families looked up to the actor and his family as they expressed nothing but love and support for one another despite being blended. Even Moore and Emma shared an incredible bond despite the former's history with Bruce.

During a past interview with Us Weekly, Emma spoke about her relationship with Moore sharing how the actress had welcomed her into her family and vice versa. The model said she had a lot of respect for how her husband worked through his divorce with Moore in putting their children first.

The actress revealed that her children and Emmas were like sisters. She described herself and Bruce's wife as sisters bonded and mothers united through the crazy journey of life.

Bruce, Emma, and Moore's decision to love one another and put their children first impacted their children positively. Rumer once expressed her gratitude to her parents, saying:

"I'm incredibly grateful that both of my parents have made such an effort my entire life that I never had to choose between them."

She also noted how she'd grown up with many friends who had parents who divorced when they were young and were pitted against each other or had to choose between holidays. The Willis child said she had never had to experience that.

Rumer felt grateful that her parents made it such a priority that they needed to be a family despite it looking different. The blended family was able to come together in support of Bruce when he became ill.

Bruce's Family Support amid His Aphasia Diagnosis and Retirement

Bruce's blended family shocked the world when they revealed that the actor had been diagnosed with Aphasia and would be stepping away from acting. The disease affects a person's ability to write, speak, and understand both verbal and written languages and occurs after a head injury or stroke.

In a joint post shared on Moore, Emma, Rumer, Tallulah, and Scout's Instagram pages, the family revealed how difficult the diagnosis was for them. They described it as challenging and appreciated fans' support, compassion, and love.

Emma [Heming Willis] noted how grief could be paralyzing, but she was learning to live with it.

The family said they were dealing with the issue as a "strong family unit" and wished to include fans because they knew how much Bruce meant to them as they did to him. They shared how the actor always urged people to live it up, and they intended to do that.

Fans, relatives, friends, and celebrities sent their prayers and were optimistic that things would turn out fine. In August 2022, Emma gave fans an update about her husband's health journey and what it was like supporting him through it.

Bruce's wife described the time as "the summer of self-discovery." The model shared alongside a clip that showed glimpses into her family's life and revealed how she'd learned to go out of her comfort zone, find new hobbies, and stay active.

Emma noted how grief could be paralyzing, but she was learning to live with it. She said her stepdaughter, Scout, had told her that grief was the purest and most profound form of love and concluded her post by hoping her fans found comfort in the statement too.

In October 2022, the star's wife also had another update with a video that showed Bruce hanging out with his youngest children during the summer. The actor took plenty of walks in the woods with his children, danced on the porch, watched his brood swim, and took bike rides.

The star's children also played on swings, hung out with him on electronics indoors, and piggybacked on his back. They attended parades; Bruce took walks with his wife, and the children planted some flowers, played by a stream, played in the woods and with the family dog, and explored their surroundings.