bruce-willis’-wife-tells-paparazzi-to-stop-yelling-at him-after-dementia-diagnosis:-let-him-get ‘from-point-a-to-point-b safely’

Emma Heming Willis, wife to actor Bruce Willis, has made a statement asking paparazzi to “keep your space” when following the 67-year-old actor, who was recently diagnosed with dementia.

Heming Willis posted a video on Instagram, recounting a recent incident in which photographers attempted to speak to her husband while he made a rare public appearance to meet with a group of friends for coffee in Santa Monica.

“If you are someone who is looking after someone with dementia, you know how difficult and stressful it can be to get someone out into the world and to navigate them safely, even just to get a cup of coffee,” she said. “It’s clear that there’s still a lot of education that needs to be put worth. So this one is going out to the photographers and video people that are trying to get those exclusives of my husband out and about. Just keep your space.”

“I know this is your job, but maybe just keep your space,” she continued. “Please don’t be yelling at my husband, asking how he’s doing, whatever. The woo-hooing and the yippee-ki-yay’s — just don’t do it. Give him the space. Allow for our family or whoever’s with him that day to be able to get him from Point A to Point B safely. That’s my PSA.”

Her statement comes a few weeks after the family announced that Willis’ aphasia had progressed into frontotemporal dementia, which is often diagnosed at a younger age than other forms of dementia. Symptoms can include personality changes, speech difficulty and motor impairment.

Bruce and Emma have been married since 2009.