Actor Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with aphasia — a medical condition caused by damage in a specific area of the brain that controls language expression and comprehension — and will be stepping back from his acting career. The “Die Hard” star’s family shared the news on March 30, 2022.
Rumer Willis shared a picture of her father on Instagram with the caption, “This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion, and support. ”
The medical disorder leaves an individual unable to effectively communicate with others, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Many patients develop aphasia as a result of a stroke. There are a few different types of aphasia.
Willis’s career began in 1985 after countless auditions. His film debut was alongside Cybill Shepherd in the TV series “Moonlighting.” In 1988 he landed the role of John McClane in “Die Hard.” He reprised his character in “Die Hard 2,” “Die Hard with a Vengeance,” and “Live Free or Die Hard.”
A few other major hits Willis starred in are “Pulp Fiction,” “12 Monkeys,” “The Sixth Sense,” “Sin City,” and the animated movie “Over the Hedge.”
For roughly thirteen years of his life, he was married to Demi Moore. They have three daughters together — Rumer, Scout, and Tallulah. Even though they are no longer living together they have continued to stay a close-knit family.
Willis is currently married to Emma and they have two daughters named Mabel and Evelyn.
Many people took to social media to send prayers and love to Willis.
Seth Green tweeted, “I have so much love for Bruce Willis, and am grateful for every character he’s given us. Hugs and love for the whole family- thank you for sharing him with us all.”
“Long before any of the Cop Out stuff, I was a big Bruce Willis fan – so this is really heartbreaking to read. He loved to act and sing and the loss of that has to be devastating for him. I feel like an asshole for my petty complaints from 2010. So sorry to BW and his family,” KevinSmith posted on Twitter.
Hopefully, he and his family find plenty of love and support during this trying time.
Written by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
CNN: Bruce Willis ‘stepping away’ from acting because of health condition; by Lisa Respers France
IMDb: Bruce Willis
John Hopkins Medicine: Aphasia
Images Courtesy of Gage Skidmore’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
