Heavy Rumer Willis sees her father in her daughter.
A former “Dancing with the Stars” champion sees a heartwarming part of her father in her young daughter. Rumer Willis won season 20 of DWTS with her pro partner, Val Chmerkovskiy, in May 2015.
Rumer welcomed her first child, a daughter she named Louetta Isley Thomas Willis, with her partner, Derek Richard Thomas, on April 18. Recently, the “Dancing with the Stars” champ revealed a sweet tidbit about a similarity her daughter shares with her dad, Bruce Willis.
Here’s what you need to know:
Rumer Willis Sees Her Father’s Smirk and Eye Twinkle in Louetta
On November 30, People shared what Rumer had to say about the connection she sees between Louetta and Bruce. “Whenever she’s got a stern discerning look on her face, I just see Bruce Willis,” the “Dancing with the Stars” champ revealed.
She continued, “My dad — especially on [TV series] ‘Moonlighting’ — has this little side smirk, that very [mischievous] twinkle in his eye, and I see that so much in her.”
That shared smirk is likely especially treasured by Rumer because of her father’s health. In February, the Willis family shared a statement about his health. They released the statement via the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.
“Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia,” the family revealed.
The Mayo Clinic indicates that frontotemporal dementia “is an umbrella term for a group of brain diseases that mainly affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. These areas of the brain are associated with personality, behavior and language.”
The clinic further notes, “Some people with frontotemporal dementia have changes in their personalities… Others lose the ability to properly use language.”
The DWTS Champ Believes Her Daughter Is Gaining Magic From the Rest of the Family
The “Dancing with the Stars” champion also opened up to People about the excitement of having a baby around for the holidays. “Oh, it’s the best,” Rumer gushed.
“We haven’t had a baby in the house in so long,” she explained. “So to be able to have that kind of Christmas energy and our first Christmas with my family — all of us there with a new baby, and having that joy and excitement of Christmas, I can’t wait.”
Rumer also noted that Christmas is a big holiday for her extended family. They have their traditions of gathering together and hanging stockings for everybody. Now, “to just be able to see [Louetta] there this Christmas, it’s exciting,” she shared.
In addition to the smirk Louetta got from her grandfather, Rumer noted the “magic” that her daughter has gained from the family. “I think inherently, some of the most magical parts of myself are definitely from them,” she said of both her dad and her mother, Demi Moore.
The “Dancing with the Stars” champion continued, “So I feel like that [magic] will be passed down to her.” Rumer added that she loves watching both her mother and father spending time with Louetta.
Rumer Misses Her Dad As His Illness Progresses
As Rumer embraces the holidays with her daughter and extended family, she has also admitted it has been difficult to watch her father’s health decline.
On November 20, she shared a photo on her Instagram page that showed her as a little girl. Bruce was holding her in one arm and smiling. In her caption, Rumer wrote, “Really missing my papa today.”
Several of Rumer’s followers commented and shared that they understood what she was experiencing.
“So sad and such a awful illness, you grieve for such a long time. My mum has it and it’s heartbreaking,” one person noted.
Another supporter wrote, “I’m so sorry your family is dealing with this horrendous disease which steals our loved ones from us. I see you and know your pain and wish I could send a hug.”