Bruce Willis 'stepping away from' acting over illness, says family

WASHINGTON

American actor Bruce Willis is stepping away from his profession because of health issues and a recent aphasia diagnosis, his daughter said Wednesday.

"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," Rumer Willis said in an Instagram on behalf of the family.

"As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him," it said.

Willis is best remembered for his role as John McClane in the "Die Hard" series.

Rumer Willis said it is "a really challenging time for" the family and thanked fans and friends for their 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," it added.

Aphasia harms the ability to communicate and can affect the ability to speak, write and understand language, both verbal and written, according to the Mayo Clinic website.

Willis' career began in television in the 1980s and has since continued on the small and big screen.