Bruce Willis' wife is begging the paparazzi to leave him alone.
Emma Heming Willis, who has been married to the Die Hard star since 2009, sent a message on Instagram to the photographers "trying to get those exclusives of my husband out and about" after he was diagnosed with dementia.
"Just keep your space," Heming Willis said. "I know this is your job. But maybe just keep your space. For the video people, please don't be yelling at my husband, asking him how he's doing or whatever, the woo-hooing and the 'yippee-ki-yays.' Just don't do it, okay? Give him his space."
She continued by asking the paparazzi to allow Willis' family the space to "be able to get him from point A to point B safely."
Willis' family announced last year that he would be stepping away from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, "which is impacting his cognitive abilities." Last month, they shared an update that his condition has "progressed" and he has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. "Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces," the family said.
On Instagram, Heming Willis noted that taking care of someone with dementia, and getting them "out into the world" even "just to get a cup of coffee," is "difficult and stressful," and the fact that the paparazzi have been following Willis despite his health issues makes it "clear that there's still a lot of education that needs to be put forth."