Los Angeles: Bruce Willis is quitting acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that results in the loss of the ability to understand or express speech, his family has announced.

In a statement posted Thursday on Willis’ Instagram page (AEDT), the 67-year-old actor’s family said Willis had recently been diagnosed with aphasia and it was affecting his cognitive abilities.

“As a result and with great consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that meant so much to him,” read the statement signed by Willis’ wife, Emma Heming Willis, his ex-wife Demi Moore and his five children, Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel and Evelyn.

“We’re going through this as a strong family unit and we wanted to bring in his fans because we know how much he means to you, just like you mean to him,” they said. “As Bruce always says, ‘live it’ and together we plan to do just that.”

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Aphasia usually occurs after a stroke or head injury, but can also develop gradually due to a slowly growing brain tumor or a disease that causes degenerative lesions. It is treated mainly by speech therapy and learning non-verbal means of communication.

News of Willis, one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors, immediately spread online as fans reacted. His four-decade career has amassed over $5 billion at the global box office.

Willis had been particularly active in recent years. He appeared in eight films released in 2021 alone. None of them received critical acclaim.

He has filmed many action thrillers due for release in 2022, including Gasoline Alley, A Day to Die and Fortress: Sniper’s Eye.