Bruce Willis is stepping away from his lengthy and distinguished acting career after being diagnosed with aphasia. His family made the announcement on their social media accounts.
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“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. 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. Love, Emma, Demi, Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, & Evelyn.”
According to Mayo Clinic, Aphasia is a condition that robs you of the ability to communicate and can affect your ability to speak, write and understand language, both verbal and written.
Aphasia typically occurs suddenly after a stroke or a head injury. But it can also come on gradually from a slow-growing brain tumor or a disease that causes progressive, permanent damage (degenerative). The severity of aphasia depends on a number of conditions, including the cause and the extent of the brain damage.
Once the cause has been addressed, the main treatment for aphasia is speech and language therapy. The person with aphasia relearns and practices language skills and learns to use other ways to communicate. Family members often participate in the process, helping the person communicate.
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Willis’ is best known for starring in the 1988 action movie Die Hard. The film’s success has turned into a film franchise, spanning five films, as latest as 2013 and grossing over $5 billion worldwide. He has also starred in blockbusters such as as The Fifth Element (1997), Armageddon (1998), and The Sixth Sense (1999). Willis’ other classics include The Last Boy Scout (1991), Death Becomes Her (1992) Pulp Fiction (1994) and 12 Monkeys (1995).
He’s been nominated for five Golden Globes (winning one for “Moonlighting”) and three Emmys (winning one for “Moonlighting” and another for his “Friends” guest role).