After being diagnosed with the language condition aphasia, Bruce Willis' family announced his retirement from acting on Wednesday.

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, aphasia is a "acquired neurogenic language disease" that affects the understanding and expression of written and spoken language and commonly happens after a stroke or a brain injury. While speech and language treatment can help persons with aphasia restore their language abilities, it is "typically a rather slow process," and while "most people make considerable improvement, few people reach their pre-injury communication levels," it is "generally a relatively slow process."

It's unknown what caused Willis' aphasia or if the "Die Hard" star has any additional disabilities.

"Our family is going through a very difficult time right now, and we are so grateful for your continuing love, sympathy, and support." "We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and we wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him," read the statement, which was signed by his wife, Emma Heming; ex-wife, Demi Moore; and his other four children and was posted to Instagram by his daughter Rumer.
"As Bruce often says, 'Live it up,' and that is exactly what we want to do together," the statement said.



Willis, 67, was born in West Germany, where his father was stationed as an American soldier. Two years later, his family relocated to New Jersey. He began his acting career in off-Broadway shows in the 1970s before landing a brief, uncredited role in Paul Newman and Charlotte Rampling's 1982 film "The Verdict." In 1985, he made his film debut as David Addison Jr. in "Moonlighting," and his career as a movie star began in 1988 with "Die Hard," in which he played the improbable action hero John McClane.

He has mostly appeared in action, science fiction, and horror films throughout his career, including four additional Die Hard installments, Brad Pitt's "12 Monkeys," many M. Night Shyamalan pictures, most notably "The Sixth Sense," and Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction." Willis has lately been seen in a slew of action B-movies, the most of which were produced by Emmett/Furla Oasis Films, producer Randall Emmett's direct-to-video movie empire.

Celebrities and public people expressed their sympathies and shared memories of the actor as word of his forced retirement spread.

"I met Bruce Willis once, 10 years ago," TV writer Heather Anne Campbell tweeted. When an agency tried to get me to sign with them, I told them I wanted to create an action movie for Bruce Willis, and they replied, "Do you want to meet him?" and took me to his birthday party that night. Bruce Willis pretended to know me previously at the gathering, which was around 15 people in a private bar. 'Oh yes, from the thing with the thing,' he replied, before calling the bartender's name and saying, "Look who's here, it's Heather!"

"When Bruce Willis was on it, there were few who were better," film critic Robert Daniels tweeted. A dramatic force underappreciated, an odd humorous presence, and a solid leading man. In the movies, he could do anything and did everything. I won't be able to watch him on the big screen again."