Emma Heming Willis and Demi Moore reunited in New York City to honour Bruce Willis at a special benefit concert supporting the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD).
The private Soho Sessions event on Nov. 5 brought together close friends, family and a lineup of major performers to raise funds and awareness for frontotemporal dementia, the condition Willis was diagnosed with in 2023.
The intimate show featured performances from 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 thrilled her husband.
“Bruce would have loved this. He always loved live music. [He’d be excited to see] all of them, because all of them are, you know, his friends.” She added that he likely would have jumped in “and started playing his harmonica.”
She explained that the journey after his diagnosis initially felt overwhelming. Heming Willis recalled wishing she had known earlier that support existed.
“I know that when we received our diagnosis, we were left with nothing, really; no roadmap, no support, nothing.” Over time, she discovered there were resources available, adding that caregivers often feel “unsupported and unseen.”
Before the performances began, Heming Willis thanked guests and shared how meaningful the gathering was for their family.
“I honestly wish Bruce could be here, but he’s here in spirit,” she told the crowd.
When Soho Sessions proposed raising money for AFTD, she replied enthusiastically, “I was like, ‘F--k yeah! Can we please have some fun?’ So, as Bruce would say, live it up. Let’s all continue to live it up and have fun.”
She also highlighted the group’s significance, 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 she has 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 looked after her throughout the night.
“He was very kind to me one time,” she recalled. “He was checking on me all night because I was alone at this weird party.”
Soho Sessions producers Greg Williamson and Nicole Rechter described the night as unforgettable.
Rechter said there was “an undeniable energy in the room, that feeling of connection that reminds you why live music matters.”
Williamson added that the atmosphere felt one-of-a-kind, explaining, “Some nights have a kind of magic you can’t manufacture, and this was one of them.”
With Heming Willis, Moore and their blended family continuing to stand together, the event brought loved ones and longtime friends into the same room for a night filled with music, support and a shared dedication to Bruce Willis.