Emma Heming Willis and Demi Moore reunited in New York to honor Bruce Willis at a special benefit concert in support of the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD).
The private Soho Sessions event on November 5 brought together close friends, family and a group of major artists to raise funds and awareness for frontotemporal dementia, the condition Willis was diagnosed with in 2023.
The intimate show featured performances by Keith Richards, Norah Jones, Mavis Staples and Warren Haynes.
Famous faces in the crowd included Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Michael J. Fox, Tracy Pollan and Whoopi Goldberg. Heming Willis said the evening would have delighted her husband.
“Bruce would have loved it. He always loved live music. [He’d be excited to see] all of them, because they’re all, you know, his friends. She added that he probably would have taken the plunge “and started playing his harmonica.”
She explained that the journey after her diagnosis initially seemed overwhelming. Heming Willis remembers wishing he had known sooner that support existed.
“I know that when we received our diagnosis, we were left with nothing: no road map, no support, nothing. ” Over time, she discovered that resources were available, adding that caregivers often felt “unsupported and invisible.”
Before the performances began, Heming Willis thanked the guests and explained how meaningful the gathering was to their family.
“I honestly wish Bruce could be here, but he’s here in spirit,” she told the crowd.
When Soho Sessions offered to raise money for AFTD, she responded enthusiastically: “I was like, ‘Fuck yeah! Can we have some fun please?’ So, as Bruce would say, rise to the occasion. Let’s all continue to live this and have fun.
She also stressed the importance of the group, calling it “an absolute lifeline for me and our family.”
Norah Jones said she joined the concert without hesitation after hearing who else was involved. She noted that she had a long history of performing with Richards and Staples.
She also shared a personal memory of Willis: Years ago, at an event, she was alone and felt out of place until he took care of her all night.
“He was very nice to me once,” she recalls. “He watched me all night because I was alone at this weird party.”
Soho Sessions producers Greg Williamson and Nicole Rechter described the evening as unforgettable.
Rechter said there was “an undeniable energy in the room, that feeling of connection that reminds you why live music is important.”
Williamson added that the atmosphere was one of a kind, explaining, “Some nights have a kind of magic that you can’t make, and this was one of them.”
As Heming Willis, Moore and their blended family continue to stick together, the event brought loved ones and longtime friends together in the same room for an evening filled with music, support and a shared dedication to Bruce Willis.
