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HOLLYWOOD (CNS) - Bruce Willis is stepping away from acting after a diagnosis of the cognitive disorder aphasia, his family said today.
``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,'' Willis' daughter Rumer posted on Instagram.
``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.''
Aphasia affects a person's ability to express and understand written and spoken language. It can occur after a stroke or head injury, or develop slowly from a brain tumor or disease. It is often treated with speech therapy.
The 67-year-old Willis first gained fame on the 1980s television series ``Moonlighting,'' before a starring role in the 1988 action film ``Die Hard'' cemented his status as an A-list movie star.
His other memorable films include ``The Last Boy Scout,'' ``Pulp Fiction,'' ``12 Monkeys,'' ``The Fifth Element,'' ``Armageddon'' and ``The Sixth Sense.''
He was married to actress Demi Moore from 1987 to 2000, with whom he has three daughters. He married model Emma Heming in 2009, with whom he has two daughters.