Bruce Willis 'stepping away' from his acting career after being diagnosed with aphasia, family says

Bruce Willis is suffering from a medical condition that is affecting his cognitive abilities and will be taking a break from acting, his family shared Wednesday.

In a post on his daughter Rumer's verified Instagram account, the caption on a photo of the "Die Hard" actor read: "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."

READ MORE | What is aphasia? Brain disorder has many causes

"As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him," the caption continued. "This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support. "

According to the Mayo Clinic, aphasia is "a condition that robs you of the ability to communicate" and can be caused by a stroke, head injury, a brain tumor or a disease.

The caption went on to read that the family is "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 concluded, along with the names of his former wife, Demi Moore, their daughters Rumer, Scout and Tallulah, as well as his current wife, Emma, and their daughters Mabel and Evelyn.

The National Aphasia Association released the following statement about Willis:

"The National Aphasia Association was saddened to hear of Bruce Willis' recent diagnosis of aphasia. As the national organization that represents all individuals living with aphasia and their families, we understand the impact of this diagnosis. Aphasia is a disorder that can affect a person's ability to produce and/or comprehend language. There are many different forms of aphasia. All of them affect a person's ability to communicate. One type of aphasia, termed Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), also affects cognitive abilities. While we are not aware of Mr. Willis' specific aphasia diagnosis, we recognize that strong family support and expert professional services have a positive impact on living successfully with aphasia. For more information, free resources, and support, visit aphasia.org."