Bruce Willis has secretly been battling aphasia, and it has gotten to the point where he will have to step away from his career as an actor. “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,” Bruce’s family members, including daughter Rumer Willis, wrote on Instagram on March 30.
The statement continued, “As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him. 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 note was signed by Bruce’s five daughters — Rumer, 33, Tallulah Willis, 28, Scout Willis, 30, Mabel Willis, 9, and Evelyn Willis, 7 — as well as his wife, Emma Heming, and ex-wife, Demi Moore. Bruce shares his three oldest daughters with Demi, while he and Emma share Mabel and Evelyn. Bruce and Demi have remained close since their divorce in 2000, and the group has become one big blended family in recent years. Demi was even in attendance at Bruce’s 67th birthday celebration earlier this month, and posted a photo with him on Instagram. The entire family also quarantined together in 2020 when the coronavirus first hit.
Aphasia is a language disorder, which affects a person’s ability to communicate. Victims of the disease, which is caused by brain damage, begin to lose the ability to express and understand speech. Bruce’s family did not specify his symptoms or when he was diagnosed.