Bruce Willis ‘stepping away’ from acting after aphasia diagnosis, Rumer Willis says

"Die Hard" star Willis has also appeared in such movies as "Pulp Fiction," "Armageddon" and "The Sixth Sense." (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Rumer Willis said on Instagram Wednesday that her father, beloved “Die Hard” actor Bruce Willis, is stepping away from acting after he was diagnosed with aphasia.

The social media post reads:

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“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. 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. As Bruce always says, “Live it up” and together we plan to do just that. Love,Emma, Demi, Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, & Evelyn”

According to the medical information website WebMD, “aphasia is a communication disorder that makes it hard to use words. It can affect your speech, writing, and ability to understand language. Aphasia results from damage or injury to language parts of the brain. It’s more common in older adults, particularly those who have had a stroke. Aphasia gets in the way of a person’s ability to communicate, but it doesn’t impair intelligence. People who have aphasia may have a hard time speaking and finding the “right” words to complete their thoughts. They may also have problems understanding conversation, reading and comprehending written words, writing words, and using numbers. People with aphasia may also repeat words or phrases.”

Rumer Willis is the eldest daughter of Bruce Willis and actress Demi Moore.