Emma Heming Willis Reflects on Gene Hackman and Wife Betsy’s Death: ‘Caregivers Need Care Too’

Emma Heming Willis is using her voice to amplify the importance of caregivers amid Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Hackman‘s deaths.

On Monday, March 10, the Make Time Wellness founder and wife of Bruce Willis went on Instagram to share a video message about the importance of supporting caregivers.

“So this is not something I would normally comment on, but I do really believe that there is some learning in this story,” said Heming Willis, 46, while speaking about the “tragic passing” of Hackman, 95, and Betsy, 65, who were found dead in their New Mexico home on Wednesday, Feb. 26.

“It’s just made me think of this broader story, and that is that caregivers need care too and that they are vital, and that it is so important that we show up for them so that they can continue to show up for their person,” said Emma.

“I think that there’s this common misconception that like caregivers, they got it figured out,” she continued. “They got it covered. They’re good. I don’t subscribe to that. I think that we need to be showing up for them so that they can continue to show up for their person.”

She captioned the post, “Caregivers need care too. Period. Full stop. #supportcaregivers.”

Hackman, 95, died from a combination of severe heart disease, high blood pressure and advanced Alzheimer’s disease, and was likely alone in the home with his dead wife for days.

Being that the last activity on Hackman’s pacemaker was registered on Feb. 17, Heather Jarrell, New Mexico’s chief medical examiner, told reporters on Friday, March 7, that it was “reasonable to conclude” Hackman, who had no food in his stomach at the time of his death, died the following day. Hackman showed no signs of dehydration, however.

As for Betsy, the last outward communication from her occurred via email on Feb 11, per Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza. It was later discovered that she died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is caused by the hantavirus. Hantavirus is transmitted to humans via rodent urine, saliva and droppings.

Heming Willis married Willis, 69, in 2009 and shares two daughters with him, Mabel, born in April 2012 and Evelyn, born in May 2014. He also shares three daughters with ex Demi Moore.

In March 2022, Willis’ family announced that the actor was diagnosed with the language disorder aphasia and was stepping away from acting. Nearly a year later, in February 2023, Heming Willis revealed that his condition had worsened and that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

According to the Mayo Clinic, the progressive condition causes the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain to shrink, which is known as atrophy.