Rumer Willis Gives An Emotional Update Amid Dad Bruce's Diagnosis
Bruce Willis' family recently announced that the actor plans to retire after being diagnosed with a serious medical condition. "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," his family said in a statement. "As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him."
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the disorder is caused by brain damage and impacts an individual's ability to write or comprehend language. The institution states that aphasia can also affect a person's motor skills and may cause them to eliminate words like "and" or "the" when formulating sentences or telling stories.
Willis has had a storied acting career, scoring his first major role in the 1985 comedy series, "Moonlighting," per People. However, it was the 1988 film "Die Hard" that solidified Willis' place as an acting powerhouse. The movie spawned five sequels and was a catalyst for Willis' career that spans more than 30 years. When news broke that Willis would be retiring from acting, fans became concerned that the actor's health may have been dire. However, a recent post from Willis' daughter Rumer may provide fans some relief.
Rumer Willis is grateful for the outpouring of support
Wile the announcement of Bruce Willis' aphasia diagnosis caused immediate concern, his daughter Rumer has since provided an update on the actor's condition. "Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for all of the messages, all of the prayers, for keeping my poppa and our whole family in your thoughts and prayers," she said on Instagram. "Thank you all for all the sweet messages about my dad. I truly appreciate it more than you know."
Rumer, the eldest daughter of Willis and actor Demi Moore, emphasized that the abundance of love and support from fans has been meaningful to their entire family. The "Sorority Row" actor went on to sing several songs in the video, an act she said was inspired by her father. "He's absolutely the reason why I love music, why I love the kind of music that I do love, why I love oldies," Rumer said, as she performed "Down in Mexico" by The Coasters.
Willis' second eldest daughter, Scout, also took to Instagram to address her father's "surreal" diagnosis. "It kept hitting me yesterday how much love, energy, and prayers were now being sent to my daddio and just humbling me in a way that's brings tears as I write this," Scout wrote on March 31, the day after Willis' family made the announcement. "I am so grateful for your love, I'm so grateful to hear about what my papa means to you." The actor certainly has no shortage of love and support in his corner.