Bruce Willis is “stepping away” from his acting career after being diagnosed with aphasia, which leads to the loss of ability to understand or express speech, his family said in a statement posted to social media.

In an Instagram post, Rumer Willis, the eldest daughter of Demi Moore and Willis, shared that her father’s diagnosis “is impacting his cognitive abilities.”  The statement read:“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 statement was also signed by other members of Willis’ family: Emma, Demi, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel and Evelyn. Moore also shared the statement in a post on her Instagram page.

The news comes just weeks after Bruce Willis celebrated his 67th birthday. According to the Mayo Clinic, aphasia “is a condition that robs you of the ability to communicate. It can affect your ability to speak, write and understand language, both verbal and written.”  It most commonly arises after a stroke or brain injury, though can also come on more gradually to due the growth of a brain tumor or a degenerative disease. The family did not say what the cause is in Willis’ case.

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