Bruce Willis' wife, Emma Heming, shares grief over his diagnosis

Emma Heming Willis and Bruce Willis. Photo / Instagram

Emma Heming Willis has admitted that grief over her husband Bruce Willis' aphasia diagnosis is "paralysing" at times.

The 46-year-old star took to Instagram this week to reflect on her summer as she copes with her husband's diagnosis with the condition – which affects language and speech – and his decision to step away from acting in March.

Heming Willis captioned a video montage: "This was the summer of self discovery – finding new hobbies, going out of my comfort zone and staying active.

"My grief can be paralyzing but I'm learning how to live along side it. As my step-daughter @scoutlaruewillis told me, grief is the deepest and purest form of love. I hope you find some comfort in that too." (sic)

The model's montage was set to Aretha Franklin's song I Say A Little Prayer and featured clips of her using a fitness mirror, gardening, playing tennis and painting.

Heming Willis finished her post with a shout-out for National Grief Awareness Day, which takes place on August 30 every year.

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The star previously explained how caring for Willis had "taken a toll" on her mental health.

Heming Willis, who has been married to the Die Hard actor since 2009 and shares daughters Mabel, 10, and Evelyn, 8, with him, said: "I struggle with making the time for self-care every day. I put my family's needs above my own, which I found does not make me any kind of hero. That amount of care for everyone else within my household had taken a toll on my mental health and overall health, and it served no one in my family.

"Someone told me not long ago that when you over-care for someone, you end up under-caring for yourself. That stopped me in my tracks and really resonated with me."