Bruce Willis' Wife: People Can 'Learn' From Gene Hackman, Wife's Deaths

Bruce Willis' wife, Emma Heming, is weighing in on the recent deaths of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa from the perspective of a caregiver. 

Taking to Instagram, Heming said that while she usually refrains from commenting on such tragedies, she emphasized that there are valuable lessons to be learned. 

Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were found dead alongside their dog Zinna at their New Mexico home last month.

"I do really believe that there is some learning in this story. It's just made me think of this broader story, and that is that caregivers need care too and that they are vital," Heming said in her post. "It is so important that we show up for them so that they can continue to show up for their person."

The model addressed the misconception that caregivers don't need help and are always composed, with everything "figured out."

"I don't subscribe to that," she continued. "I think that we need to be showing up for them so that they can continue to show up for their person."

Captioning the video, Heming wrote, "Caregivers need care too. Period. Full stop."

Heming has been candid about the challenges of caring for her husband since his diagnosis. In 2023, while thanking fans for wishing Willis a happy birthday, she became emotional and began crying.

"I have started the morning by crying as you can see by my swollen eyes and snotty nose," she said in a video posted to her Instagram Stories, according to the Independent. "I just think it's important that you see all sides of this."

She continued: "I always get this message where people always tell me, 'Oh you're so strong. I don't know how you do it.' I'm not given a choice. I wish I was but I'm also raising two kids in this."

Heming said that while she pushes through tough times, saying, "Sometimes you have to put your big girl panties on and get to it," she also faces daily sadness and grief, especially on her husband's birthday.

• Gene Hackman Died of Heart Disease, His Wife of Hantavirus About a Week Prior: Officials
• Hackman's Final Days: Troubling Questions Remain