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Bruce Willis, 67, has been diagnosed with a brain condition that affects his ability to understand language and will be stepping away from acting, his family has announced.
In a statement posted to social media, his family said: ‘To Bruce’s amazing supporters, as a family we wanted to share that our beloved Bruce has been experiencing some health issues and has recently been diagnosed with aphasia, which is impacting his cognitive abilities.
‘As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.’
The announcement comes nearly one year after OK Magazine reported that Willis sold his New York property to spend more time with his wife and children in Los Angeles.
Bruce Willis, 67, has has been diagnosed with a brain condition called aphasia and will be stepping away from acting, his family has announced
His family shared a statement on their social media pages announcing his diagnosis on Wednesday and saying he will be be ‘stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him’
The statement was signed by his wife, Emma (pictured) and his ex-wife Demi Moore as well as all of his children
The family has reportedly known his mental state has been deteriorating before issuing the statement on Wednesday
The statement added: ‘This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support. We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him.
‘As Bruce always says, “Live it up” and together we plan to do just that,’ the statement, which was signed by his wife Emma, his ex-wife Demi Moore and all of his children, concluded.
According to the National Aphasia Association, the condition is an impairment of language, affecting the production or comprehension of speech and the ability to read or write.
The association reports the condition is always due to injury to the brain, most commonly from a stroke, particularly in older individuals.
Head trauma, brain tumors or from infections can also cause aphasia.
It is currently unclear what lead to Willis’ diagnosis.
Demi Moore recently posted this picture to Instagram thanking Willis for their blended family
Willis, second from left, recently celebrated his 67th birthday with all of his family
Willis shares his youngest two children, Evelyn and Mabel, with his wife Emma
The announcement marks an end to Willis’ decades-long career, which began with small roles in television shows like Miami Vice and The Twilight Zone in the early 1980s, according to IMDB.
His first big role was as John McClane in the hit film Die Hard in 1988, leading to six sequels.
Willis went on to star in films like Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys and the superhero film, Unbreakable, for which he reprised his role over a decade later in the 2016 film Split and the 2019 film Glass.
He has also appeared in a number of television shows, including the beloved classic Friends, Moonlighting and as the main voice actor in Bruno the Kid.
Willis has also recently completed multiple projects that are in post-production, including Vendetta, Fortress: Sniper’s Eye and White Elephant.
It’s unclear what will happen with Fortress 3, which is currently in pre-production.
Source: dailymail
