Bruce Willis Reveals Devastating Health News

"Die Hard" and "Armageddon" star Bruce Willis' acting career is over, per a joint family statement on Instagram. Rumer Willis, the actor's eldest daughter with ex-wife Demi Moore, expressed the news on her personal account. "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," the family's message read. Johns Hopkins Medicine cites the language disorder "leaves a person unable to communicate effectively with others." The organization cites that speech therapy can help improve conditions over time, but the medical condition will never go away completely.

Since starting his acting career in the early '80s, Willis has garnered a range of credits on his résumé, including a guest-starring gig on "Friends," according to Variety. He additionally appeared on ABC's "Moonlighting," which Willis won an Emmy for in 1987. Time reports that Willis' four-decade career has collected more than $5 billion in box-office revenue worldwide, not including his work set to be released in 2022. He's expected to be seen in thrillers like "Gasoline Alley," "A Day to Die," and "Fortress: Sniper's Eye," as he was steadily working before the news of his deteriorating health was made public on March 30.

Now, fans and other Hollywood stars are sending light to the actor and his family.

With the news that one of Hollywood's most iconic stars, Bruce Willis, is ending his acting career after recently being diagnosed with aphasia, reactions poured in on the internet. "The Vampire Diaries" and "The Originals" actor Claire Holt was quick to respond to the Willis family's statement about the actors unexpected retirement by commenting, "Sending lots of love to you all," followed by three heart emojis. Dancer and actor Jenna Dewan responded, "Sending love to you and your beautiful family."

One fan on Twitter gathered support for writing "I love Bruce Willis. From Moonlighting to Fifth Element, and more. A great actor, iconic, sending him all my love, and hopes for wonderful days ahead." Another person who said they live with dysphasia, a similar condition, tagged Rumer Willis and said told the actor's daughter that if "you need to vent, I'm around." 

In the March 30 statement, the Willis family asked for continued love and support, as they noted it's been a particularly "challenging time." Aside from Rumer, the actor has five more children — two more with Moore and two with his current wife, Emma Heming Willis, per CNN. The announcement continued, "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."

The news of Bruce Willis' retirement from acting comes as a shock to many, as he had just celebrated 67th birthday with his family on March 19. Demi Moore, who married Bruce in 1987, shared a heartwarming photo of him smiling on her Instagram feed as they prepared dinner. "Happy birthday, Bruce!" Moore captioned the post. "Thankful for our blended family." Meanwhile, Bruce's wife, Emma Heming Willis, also paid tribute to him by posting a slideshow of them throughout the years. "I don't just love him, I really really like him," she captioned the video.

In the decade since Bruce married Emma, he's been vocal about keeping his health in check for the sake of his family. In an interview with Esquire in 2012, Bruce detailed his strict lifestyle and fitness regimen, where'd wake up at 8 in the morning to eat breakfast and schedule gym sessions for late in the day. His focus was shaped by his desire to become a better father. "I'm in love with my wife and my kids. I require very little," he said of his happiness in life. "Friends come over, the kids come over when they can. We eat dinner. And I'm happy to play along with their momentum."

Emma echoed Bruce's desire to become a better family man in an interview with "Today" in March 2021 (via Hello!). "We love being home together, it's been wonderful being with our daughters," she said, referring to their life together. However, they're also close to Moore as well. 

As evidenced by their joint statements on Bruce Willis' aphasia diagnosis, the Willis family is close and has operated as a tight unit for years. Although there have been rumors of discord between Bruce's first wife Demi Moore and his current wife Emma Heming Willis, the two have shown that they have nothing but respect for each other. Moore even once referred to her and Emma as "mothers united, sisters bonded on this crazy adventure of life," per Page Six.

During the onset of the pandemic in 2020, Moore stayed with Bruce and his family while their daughters — Rumer, 33; Scout, 30; and Tallulah Willis, 28 — also visited, according to People. "Demi and Emma are very close. They have vacationed together many times in the past and get along great," an insider told the outlet. "It really is one happy family." Meanwhile, a source close to Moore said that Bruce and her have remained "best friends" after their divorce.

As Bruce focuses on managing his condition, we're sure that their family will become even closer and continue to support each other through difficult times. We wish all the best for the Willis family and their loved ones.