Mar 31, 2022

Bruce Willis to retire aged 67 following shock diagnosis of aphasia

Bruce Willis hero
Photo: Flickr.

The Hollywood icon, Bruce Willis, has been diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease aphasia and is “stepping away” from his decades-long acting career.

In a statement on Instagram, the star’s family said Willis had been experiencing “health issues” and was diagnosed with aphasia. The condition is affecting his “cognitive abilities”, the statement said. 

“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.” 

The statement is signed off by Willis’s wife Emma Heming Willis, ex-wife Demi Moore, and daughters Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel and Evelyn.

Willis was one of the most popular stars of his generation, starring in blockbuster franchises such as the television series Moonlighting and the Die Hard film series. He also made an appearance in Quentin Tarantino’s groundbreaking film Pulp Fiction. Over his four-decade career, Willis starred in approximately 100 films, he released three albums as a singer and starred in a number of Broadway musicals.

He won one Golden Globe Award and two Emmy Awards.

Willis was especially productive in recent years. In 2021, he appeared in eight films, and this year has starred in three releases. He completed another eight films set for release later this year and next year.

Debi Mazar commented, “We love Bruce so much ❤️ Sending love to him and your family. Bruce has given us sooo much! What an amazing career. May he rest and recover.”

What is aphasia?

Aphasia is a language disorder that robs people of their ability to speak and understand language. 

Aphasia is caused by damage to the part of the brain that controls language, expression and comprehension. It can occur suddenly after a stroke or head injury, or develop slowly from a growing brain tumour or disease.

Some people may never recover from aphasia, but they can learn new ways to communicate with the help of speech therapy.

Aphasia can lead to feelings of isolation and deprive people of their independence.

For an actor such as Willis, a diagnosis of aphasia must be particularly devastating. We wish him and his family all the very best at this difficult time.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Demi Moore (@demimoore)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Aged care homes warned after Needle found in fruit

The Department of Health has urged aged care operators to cut up fruit before serving it to residents, after a needle was found in a banana at an aged care facility in New South Wales. The operator of the facility where the needle was found immediately contacted police and advised the Department of Health. The... Read More

NSW aged cares homes to allow visitors from October 11

The NSW government has at last announced when visitors will be allowed back into nursing homes. From 11 October, two fully vaccinated people will be allowed to visit loved ones in residential aged care. Read More

Can a Mediterranean Diet Help Slow Brain Shrinkage?

A good diet, full of nutritious food, has been known to help keep the mind and body healthy. But a new study has found that a Mediterranean diet may actually be able to help slow down brain ageing. One of the things that can cause brain function to decrease as people get older is shrinkage... Read More
Advertisement