Legendary actor Bruce Willis announces retirement after medical diagnosis

American actor Bruce Willis, who is widely known for portraying the role of John McClane in the Die Hard franchise is stepping away from his acting career after being diagnosed with aphasia, which is reportedly a communication disorder that makes it hard to use words. It apparently affects a person’s speech, writing, and ability to understand language.

Announcing Bruce Willis’ retirement through a joint statement on social media, his family posted, “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,” the statement further read.