“Watching the journey our stepmom has bravely embarked on has been life-changing. Not only has she deeply educated and immersed herself in the world of caregiving, she has taken on this unexpected life change with poise and elegance. Emma’s fierce devotion, endless compassion, and relentless quest to learn has been nothing short of extraordinary. Her care for our daddio is tender and unwavering, and the vulnerability she shares with the world is a lifeline for so many others walking a similar path. We are endlessly proud of her and profoundly grateful to be her family.” —Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah Willis
“With grace, honesty, and unflinching courage, Emma has opened her heart to share the truth of caregiving—its heartbreaks and its hidden gifts. The Unexpected Journey is a lifeline for anyone navigating the complex world of dementia and it is her gift to every caregiver who has felt lost, overwhelmed, or alone. Through her story, Emma offers not only guidance, but also the kind of empathy that only comes from living it.” —Demi Moore
“This book is a game changer for caregivers of loved ones with dementia. It comes out of Emma’s pain, which she has turned into a purpose bigger than herself. I couldn’t be prouder of her and the courage it took for her to write this. This book will help millions of families, like hers, like yours, like mine, like everyone’s. It’s a book for our time.” —Maria Shriver
“Becoming a caregiver to someone you love is one of the hardest and most heartbreaking jobs in the world, but Emma has documented her story with grace and empathy. From cover to cover, The Unexpected Journey is filled with straightforward, applicable information and honest reflections that will make every caregiver know that they are not alone.” —Katie Couric, award-winning journalist and founder of Katie Couric Media
“Loving someone with FTD is a club no one wants to be a member of, but Emma has seized her moment to educate and create a community. Her advice and journey are meaningful and important for anyone, especially those thrust into the caregiver experience. A must read for anyone facing this challenge and seeking comfort, information, and humanity.” —Jake Tapper, CNN anchor and New York Times bestselling author of The Devil May Dance
“I admire Emma for telling her story of how strength, courage, and love can help you overcome fear and desperation in the face of neurodegenerative disease. Emma shares practical tips and valuable advice on how (and why) a caregiver can, should, and must take care of themselves. Giving of oneself and providing constant care for a loved one with dementia is beyond challenging, but The Unexpected Journey offers a road map forward on how to do so with balance and confidence.” —Richard S. Isaacson, MD, preventive neurologist at the Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases and founder of the first Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic in the United States
“Emma loves Bruce unconditionally and holds onto memories, trying to preserve his legacy. Their two daughters were absolutely right when they told her that her book would help people.” —Booklist
“Emma Heming Willis’s book The Unexpected Journey offers a deeply moving, personal perspective on [dementia]…” —Washington Post
“Being a caregiver for a loved one with dementia—any kind of dementia—is a pilgrimage that none of us are prepared for. It can feel lonely and helpless. Emma learned the most important lesson: It doesn’t have to be lonely, and you don’t have to feel helpless. Reaching out to others, sharing the lessons that unfold every day, and listening to what others who have also been on that pilgrim’s path have learned is some of the best work we can do on this earth.” —Patti Davis, author of thirteen books including Floating in the Deep End, daughter of President Ronald Reagan, and founder of Beyond Alzheimer’s
“Emma’s care partnering journey has been challenging, stressful, complicated, and beautiful at the same time—as most care partnering journeys are. With an unyielding determination to help others not feel alone in their experiences, Emma shares the many invaluable lessons she has learned so far. Her sincere advice and willingness to openly share her story are significantly helping to reduce stigma and improve the lives of those living with brain change and those who support them.” —Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, founder of Positive Approach to Care®
“I know from personal experience caring for my late mother that many of us step into the caregiving role without much preparation, and it can feel challenging and overwhelming. In The Unexpected Journey, Emma offers meaningful insight and practical advice that can help caregivers navigate this path with greater ease. A key message is that you can’t effectively care for others without first caring for yourself. It is a powerful reminder for caregivers everywhere.” —Joan Lunden, award-winning journalist, author, TV host, and advocate for caregivers
“Emma’s book is not just a practical resource—it is a lifeline for caregivers struggling with burnout, grief, emotional exhaustion, and the overwhelming sense of responsibility that often accompanies the role. We can all benefit from one of the most important messages in this book: Self-care isn’t selfish—it’s survival. Being a caregiver exacts a toll, and it’s imperative that we carve out time for ourselves to reset and recharge. For anyone caring for an aging parent, a spouse with a chronic illness, or a child with special needs, The Unexpected Journey provides invaluable insights and important resources.” —Tracy Pollan, actress and author
“The Unexpected Journey is the heartfelt guide every caregiver needs. Emma shares her powerful story with honesty and compassion, reminding you that while this road is difficult, you are never alone. This book offers wisdom, encouragement, and the reassurance that even in the hardest moments, there is hope, community, and a way to care for yourself while caring for someone you love.” —Daniel G. Amen, MD, founder of Amen Clinics and author of Change Your Brain Every Day
“Having Emma as an advocate for our field is incredibly exciting because I think we’re at a tipping point. People need to be aware of this disease, FTD, but they often don’t hear it very well from scientists. Emma is really the first person of renown who has taken a step forward and shown the courage and willingness to speak out about this disease. Anytime anyone talks with Emma, they are moved, and this brings incredible hope to us in terms of raising awareness about FTD and the future of this disease. I can’t tell you how grateful we are to her and her husband, Bruce.” —Bruce Miller, MD, the leading expert in FTD, distinguished professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco, and head of the Global Brain Health Institute
“Being a caretaker can feel like the loneliest and most isolated place. Because of the endless unknowns of neurological disease, there is so much that is needed but so little that is available. Emma took her pain and created a life raft of information for the many caretakers suffering in silence. We need to care for those who are caring for others with the same commitment. Emma has done just that.” —Sandra Bullock, actress and producer
“In her beautiful and heartwarming book, The Unexpected Journey, Emma combines her personal experience and insights from highly credentialed experts to offer advice that is helpful, relatable, and practical. Often a caregiver’s last thought is to care for themselves, both physically and mentally, and this book guides you in very specific ways toward ‘self-love’ as you navigate loss and grief. No matter your age or experience or who you are caring for, this book is a welcome companion, ensuring that you grow on this journey.” —Marcia Gay Harden, actress
“The Unexpected Journey is a deeply needed and beautifully written book for caregivers. Taking care of a loved one is not about having all the answers—it’s about love, determination, and giving them the best quality of life possible. Caring for Tony [Bennett] was the most important thing I ever did, and though it came with challenges, it was also filled with moments of deep connection and meaning. Emma’s book offers understanding, comfort, and wisdom to those on this journey, reminding caregivers that they are not alone.” —Susan Benedetto
“The Unexpected Journey is a testament to the healing power of storytelling. Emma’s honest and heartfelt exploration of caregiving provides comfort, validation, and guidance to those walking this difficult path. Sharing our experiences—the struggles and moments of joy—helps us feel less alone and gives others permission to open up about their own journeys. This book is a gift to the caregiving community and beyond.” —Lauren Miller Rogen, screenwriter, director, producer, and cofounder of Hilarity for Charity with her husband, Seth Rogen
“When a family member is faced with the immense challenges that a diagnosis like dementia brings, they unexpectedly realize they are the primary caretaker and often have no guidance or road map for how to proceed. They feel an overwhelming loss, anger, and fear as the world is crumbling around them. In Emma’s book, The Unexpected Journey, she offers a bridge to steadier ground. Through her candid explanations of her lessons learned as well as her research with the top doctors and experts in the field, she helps caregivers feel less alone and reframes the events that are happening to them so they can find ways to thrive even in the most unexpected and challenging times.” —M. Night Shyamalan, writer and director
“When Emma stepped forward as a caregiver to her husband, it raised the profile of FTD families globally by putting a recognized and beloved face on this challenging disease. In The Unexpected Journey, Emma continues to elevate other families by shedding light on the needs of caregivers with grace and resolve. This book is a gift to every person who is on their own unexpected caregiver journey.” —Susan Dickinson, CEO of the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration
“How brave Emma is to write a book about a journey that’s all-consuming and terrifying, and ultimately beautiful. I wish that I would have had such a book to guide me. That would have been nice.” —Ron Rifkin, caregiver
“Emma’s big heart and unflinching honesty will be a blessed tonic for anyone struggling with how to attend to themselves as they attend to others. The single thing that makes sense about Bruce Willis being dealt this hand is that Emma has remained steadfastly by his side. Everyone who loves that man, myself included, owes her an endless debt of gratitude, and I know her readers will count themselves grateful, too.” —Mary-Louise Parker, actress
“When a loved one is diagnosed with FTD, your entire world changes overnight—at least that’s what happened to us when my father, Congressman Maurice Hinchey, received his diagnosis. But in these devastating moments, one of the strongest things anyone can do is turn heartbreak into action and hopelessness into community. Emma has done just that through her relentless advocacy and by sharing her own personal journey as an unexpected caregiver. Now with her book, The Unexpected Journey, she shares what she’s learned with honesty and humility, creating a space for anyone navigating the difficult waters of becoming a caregiver and finding common connection through experience and insight.” —Michelle Hinchey, New York State senator, 41st district
“Using the wisdom that comes from real-world experience, Emma weaves her own experiences as a caregiver, an understanding portrait of her husband’s experiences as a person with dementia, and what she has learned from others into a readable and instructive resource for people caring for a loved one with dementia.” —Peter V. Rabins, MD, MPH, professor emeritus in psychiatry and medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and author of The 36-Hour Day
“I wish I’d had Emma’s book to comfort and guide me when my husband was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s and I had no idea what it meant or what lay ahead for me and my family. In The Unexpected Journey, readers will discover the power of healing, releasing shame, forgiving themselves, and embracing self-love and other emotions in the process. Priceless!” —Franne Golde, care partner, songwriter, and founder of Franne Golde Los Angeles
“Emma is a bright, competent woman with extraordinary curiosity, eager to learn how to manage a situation that has no solution—her husband’s dementia. Her book provides a treasure trove of information that she gathered for herself and others who are in the confusing and stressful position of caring for a loved one who has dementia. Through interviews and personal experience, Emma informs us all. I recommend her book highly, not just for primary caregivers, but also for their friends and relatives who may not understand the ambiguous loss of dementia. Emma’s book is the best I have read for younger care partners, many of whom also have young children and even elderly parents to care for.” —Pauline Boss, PhD, professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota and author of Loving Someone Who Has Dementia, Ambiguous Loss, and The Myth of Closure
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